TIRZEPATIDE

Summary

Tirzepatide is a once-weekly injectable dual agonist of the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptors and is an FDA-prescription therapy for type 2 diabetes and obesity ^[4]. In type 2 diabetes it improved glycemic control and body weight more than dulaglutide, semaglutide 1 mg, and insulin, with a low risk of hypoglycemia ^[4]. Multiple phase 3 randomized controlled trials demonstrate substantial, sustained weight reduction, including in people with type 2 diabetes (SURMOUNT-2) and in Chinese adults with obesity (SURMOUNT-CN) ^[2,3], and three years of treatment in adults with obesity and prediabetes produced large weight loss and a markedly lower incidence of type 2 diabetes ^[1]. The most common adverse events are gastrointestinal (nausea, diarrhea, decreased appetite, vomiting), generally mild to moderate and concentrated during dose escalation, with few discontinuations and no new safety signals ^[1,3,4]. The human RCT and meta-analytic evidence base is robust and consistent.

Sources

1. 1. Tirzepatide for Obesity Treatment and Diabetes Prevention The New England journal of medicine, 2025.
2. 2. Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity in people with type 2 diabetes (SURMOUNT-2): a double-blind, randomised, multicentre, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial Lancet (London, England), 2023.
3. 3. Tirzepatide for Weight Reduction in Chinese Adults With Obesity: The SURMOUNT-CN Randomized Clinical Trial JAMA, 2024.
4. 4. Tirzepatide: A Review in Type 2 Diabetes Drugs, 2024.

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