What's happened
A new drug, retatrutide, has demonstrated significant weight loss results over 68 weeks, surpassing existing GLP-1 medications. It targets three hormones—GLP-1, GIP, and Glucagon—potentially offering more effective weight management. However, safety concerns remain as side effects led some trial participants to discontinue use.
What's behind the headline?
The emergence of retatrutide as a triple hormone receptor agonist marks a significant shift in obesity pharmacotherapy. Its ability to target GLP-1, GIP, and Glucagon suggests it could outperform existing GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, which primarily focus on appetite suppression. The trial results showing nearly 29% weight loss over 68 weeks highlight its potential, but safety concerns—such as adverse events leading to discontinuation in over 12% of participants—must be addressed before widespread adoption.
This development underscores a broader trend: the increasing reliance on hormonal manipulation to combat obesity, driven by rising demand and easier access through telehealth. While the promise of more effective weight loss is enticing, the side effects and long-term safety remain uncertain. The industry’s push for GLP-3 drugs reflects both scientific innovation and commercial competition, notably between Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.
In the near future, these drugs could reshape weight management strategies, but regulatory scrutiny and further research will determine their place in standard care. For consumers, this means a potential shift towards more potent, multi-targeted therapies, but also a need for caution regarding side effects and safety profiles.
What the papers say
The Independent articles from January 12 and 13, 2026, provide detailed insights into retatrutide's mechanism, trial results, and safety concerns. They highlight the drug's potential to surpass current GLP-1 therapies like Ozempic and Wegovy, emphasizing its targeting of three hormones. The articles also discuss the broader context of hormone-based obesity treatments, including Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Novo Nordisk's GLP-3 licensing agreement.
Meanwhile, the NY Post offers perspective on the increasing accessibility of GLP-1 drugs in the US, noting the rise of telehealth services that make these medications easier to obtain. It explains how these drugs work, their approved uses, and the off-label use for weight loss, providing a comprehensive overview of the current landscape.
Contrasting these sources, the Independent emphasizes the scientific advancements and safety issues, while the NY Post focuses on market accessibility and consumer trends. Both acknowledge the effectiveness of GLP-1 drugs but differ in their emphasis on safety versus availability, illustrating the complex balance between innovation, regulation, and consumer access in this rapidly evolving field.
How we got here
Current weight loss medications like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) mimic the hormone GLP-1 to reduce appetite and regulate blood sugar. Retatrutide introduces a new approach by targeting three hormones simultaneously, which could enhance effectiveness. Eli Lilly's Mounjaro already targets two hormones, GIP and GLP-1, and shows promising results. The development of GLP-3 drugs reflects ongoing efforts to improve obesity treatments amid rising demand and accessibility, including telehealth options.
Go deeper
More on these topics
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Semaglutide, sold under the brand name Ozempic among others, is an anti-diabetic medication used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management.
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Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a 30- or 31-amino-acid-long peptide hormone deriving from tissue-specific posttranslational processing of the proglucagon peptide. It is produced and secreted by intestinal enteroendocrine L-cells and certain neurons...
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Eli Lilly and Company is an American pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with offices in 18 countries. Its products are sold in approximately 125 countries. The company was founded in 1876 by, and named after, Col. Eli Lilly, a
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Novo Nordisk A/S is a Danish multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Bagsværd, with production facilities in nine countries and affiliates or offices in five. Novo Nordisk is controlled by majority shareholder Novo Holdings A/S (wholly owne
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Glucagon is a peptide hormone, produced by alpha cells of the pancreas. It raises concentration of glucose and fatty acids in the bloodstream, and is considered to be the main catabolic hormone of the body.