The short answer
Among people with obesity and prediabetes, fewer developed type 2 diabetes during long-term tirzepatide treatment than with placebo.
Who was studied?
This SURMOUNT-1 analysis followed 1,032 participants who had prediabetes. Assigned treatment continued for 176 weeks, followed by 17 weeks off treatment.
Percent of participants
Original chart based on the study. Values are reported group results.
| Group or measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Tirzepatide groups combined | 1.3% |
| Placebo | 13.3% |
What happened?
At 176 weeks, average weight change was −12.3%, −18.7% and −19.7% with weekly tirzepatide 5, 10 and 15 mg, versus −1.3% with placebo.
Type 2 diabetes was diagnosed in 1.3% of the combined tirzepatide groups versus 13.3% of the placebo group. After the additional off-treatment period, those proportions were 2.4% and 13.7%.
Digestive side effects were common, mostly mild or moderate, particularly during the initial dose-escalation period.
The useful takeaway
The study followed a health outcome beyond the scale. But it does not show that diabetes was prevented permanently: follow-up was limited, and diagnoses increased after treatment ended. These results concern people who already had prediabetes, not everyone considering weight-loss treatment.
Sources
Jastreboff and colleagues, New England Journal of Medicine. Funded by Eli Lilly. Read the paper.