Lilly's Zepbound (tirzepatide) achieved additional 6.7% weight loss following a 36-week open-label lead-in period, for a total mean weight loss of 26.0% from study entry over 88 weeks

 People who were randomized to placebo following the lead-in period experienced mean weight regain of 14.8% at 88 weeks, indicating Zepbound led to sustained weight loss compared to placebo

Full results from the SURMOUNT-4 study were published in The Journal of the American Medical Association

INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 11, 2023 -- Detailed results from SURMOUNT-4, which showed Zepbound™ (tirzepatide) injection achieved superior mean percent change in body weight compared to placebo in adults with obesity or overweight with weight-related comorbidities, excluding type 2 diabetes, were published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Zepbound met the primary endpoint of mean percent change in body weight, and all key secondary endpoints for both estimandsi,ii, compared to placebo 52 weeks after randomization.

Study Design

SURMOUNT-4, a phase 3 study evaluating the safety and efficacy of Zepbound compared to placebo, had two periods.

Lead-in period: 36-week open-label period during which participants took Zepbound at the maximum tolerated dose.

Double-blind treatment period: 52-week treatment period during which participants were randomized to either continue on Zepbound or switch to placebo.

SURMOUNT-4 utilized a maximum tolerated dose of 10 mg or 15 mg once-weekly. The starting dose of 2.5 mg Zepbound was increased by 2.5 mg every four weeks until maximum tolerated dose was achieved. Participants who tolerated 15 mg continued on 15 mg as their maximum tolerated dose. Participants who tolerated 10 mg but did not tolerate 15 mg continued on 10 mg as their maximum tolerated dose.

"Patients, providers and the public do not always understand obesity is a chronic disease that often requires ongoing treatment, which can mean that treatment is stopped once weight goals are met," said Jeff Emmick, MD, Ph.D., senior vice president, product development, Lilly. "However, studies like SURMOUNT-4 show that continued therapy can help people living with obesity maintain their weight loss."... Lilly's Press Release - Continued Treatment With Tirzepatide for Maintenance of Weight Reduction in Adults With Obesity - The SURMOUNT-4 Randomized Clinical Trial in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - A Study of Tirzepatide (LY3298176) in Participants With Obesity or Overweight for the Maintenance of Weight Loss (SURMOUNT-4) -