Ely Lilly's new weight-loss drug shows average 85-pound loss in late-stage clinical trials

The results match those of bariatric surgery, which helps those who have the surgery lose 25% to 35% of their total body weight.

By Kevin Killough

Published: May 21, 2026 2:28pm

Updated: May 21, 2026 2:30pm

Participants in a late-state clinical trial of Eli Lilly's new weight-loss drug, retatrutide, lost up to 30% of their body weight — approximately 85 pounds – the pharmacuetical company announced on Thursday.

The results match those of bariatric surgery, which helps those who have the surgery lose 25% to 35% of their total body weight, NBC News reported.

Lilly has yet to file for Food and Drug Administration approval, but it expects to file as early as this year.

Retatrutide mimics a hormone called GLP-1, similar to Wegovy and Zepbound, but the Lilly drug is a triple agonist, meaning it also mimics the hormones GIP and glucagon.

The results were based on a phase 3 trials of about 2,300 patients with obesity or who were overweight. The company hasn't published the full results in a medical journal.