Retatrutide Cut Average Blood Sugar More Than Ozempic in Trial of 1,298 Patients
Key Facts
Eli Lilly announced positive topline results on October 28 from the Phase III TRANSCEND-T2D-2 trial, which compared its experimental drug retatrutide with 2 mg Ozempic injections in adults with type 2 diabetes. The results showed average HbA1c fell by 2.2 percentage points with each retatrutide dose, compared with a decline of 1.8 percentage points with Ozempic at week 80. The company said the study directly compared the two treatments, putting blood sugar reduction at the center of the reported comparison. The results matter to investors tracking competition among drugmakers in diabetes and weight treatments. But they concern patients with type 2 diabetes and do not settle a comparison of treatments for obesity alone.
The study included 1,298 adults and was designed as a randomized, open-label trial. Participants received a weekly dose of retatrutide of 9 or 12 mg, or a weekly dose of Ozempic of 2 mg. Weight loss was a key secondary endpoint in the trial, according to a correction to the scope of the comparison published with the results. The reported finding therefore focuses on a treatment trial for patients with diabetes and should not be described as a trial dedicated to obesity. Lilly said retatrutide is an experimental molecule that has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any regulatory authority worldwide, and may not be marketed or sold for human use.
On tolerability, diarrhea and nausea were among the most common side effects. Discontinuation due to side effects was 4.8% with the 9 mg retatrutide dose and 7.9% with the 12 mg dose. The Ozempic group had a discontinuation rate of 2.7%. These figures show retatrutide’s advantage in lowering HbA1c came with higher discontinuation rates in both groups compared with the comparator treatment. The reported topline results provided no further details here on differences in these side effects between the doses beyond the discontinuation rates cited.
The retatrutide data follow an earlier comparison by Novo Nordisk of its experimental drug CagriSema with tirzepatide. TipRanks said CagriSema did not prove superior to tirzepatide in weight loss in that earlier trial. But Novo announced positive results in September from the REIMAGINE 5 trial in adults with type 2 diabetes, with estimated weight loss of 12.4% with CagriSema, versus 9.1% with 5 mg tirzepatide at week 60. Martin Holst Lange, Novo’s executive vice president and head of research and development, described the results as “very encouraging” and said they showed the strong efficacy of the semaglutide and cagrilintide combination. The comparison reflects differences in trial results, drugs and doses, so a single result does not amount to a blanket verdict on the companies’ products.
In trading, Novo shares fell to around $38 around midday on Wednesday, October 28, according to TipRanks. Eli Lilly shares closed at $1,287.74 on the same date, according to EL7 daily data. The closing figure does not establish that the stock reached a session high. Against the backdrop of the competition, Lilly said second-quarter 2026 revenue rose 48% to $23.0 billion, driven mainly by sales volumes of Mounjaro and Zepbound. These figures provide context for the company’s commercial performance, while the reported retatrutide results remain trial data for a drug that has not yet received regulatory approval.
Lilly said detailed results from the TRANSCEND-T2D-2 trial would be presented at a later medical meeting and then published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. The company is also directly comparing retatrutide with tirzepatide in the TRIUMPH-5 trial in adults with obesity, whether or not they have type 2 diabetes. Lilly plans to submit a biologics license application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for retatrutide in the first quarter of 2027 to treat obesity, obstructive sleep apnea and knee osteoarthritis pain. Novo is scheduled to report financial results for the first nine months of 2026 on November 4. The date gives investors a near-term update on the company’s results after its competitor’s data were released, while upcoming treatment comparisons remain contingent on trial results and regulatory review.