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ClinicalTrials18 Apr 2025·Phase 3● 8/10i

A Master Protocol to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of LY3437943 Once Weekly in Participants Without Type 2 Diabetes Who Have Obesity or Overweight: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial (TRIUMPH-1)

Eli Lilly and Company

TRIUMPH-1 is a Phase 3 master protocol testing retatrutide (Eli Lilly's triple agonist) in 2,300 people with obesity or overweight without type 2 diabetes, including subsets with knee osteoarthritis and obstructive sleep apnea. The 89-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with optional 24-week extension measures weight change, osteoarthritis pain scores, and sleep apnea severity. Eli Lilly is positioning retatrutide across multiple obesity-related conditions beyond weight management, directly competing with Novo Nordisk's Wegovy in the obesity market. This comprehensive approach targets three distinct indications within one protocol, reflecting Lilly's strategy to establish retatrutide as a multi-indication obesity therapy.

Strategic signal

Lilly's multi-indication approach with retatrutide could challenge payers who currently cover Wegovy only for weight loss, forcing coverage decisions across osteoarthritis and sleep apnea. The knee osteoarthritis subset directly competes with traditional pain management approaches, potentially shifting rheumatology and orthopedic prescribing patterns toward metabolic therapies. This mirrors how SGLT2 inhibitors expanded from diabetes into cardiology and nephrology, creating broader reimbursement pathways and physician adoption beyond endocrinology.

Weight lossCardiovascularEli LillyNovo Nordisk

Original Abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of retatrutide in participants who have obesity or overweight (J1I-MC-GZBJ master protocol) including subsets of participants who have knee osteoarthritis (OA) (J1I-MC-GOA1) or who have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (J1I-MC-GSA1). This study will last about 89 weeks and will include up to 24 visits. Addendum (2) is optional and available to approximately 500 participants to continue treatment with retatrutide for up to an additional 24 weeks. | Condition(s): Obesity; Overweight; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Obstructive Sleep Apnea | Primary endpoint(s): Percent Change From Baseline in Body Weight; Change from Baseline in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) Pain Subscale Score for GOA1 Subset; Change from Baseline in Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) Events Per Hour for GSA1 Subset | Enrollment: 2,300 (estimated) | Phase: Phase 3 | Sponsor: Eli Lilly and Company | Expected completion: 2026-04 | Status: Active Not Recruiting | Last update: 2025-04-18

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FDA approved orforglipron (Foundayo, Eli Lilly) for type 2 diabetes -- a once-daily oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist. Orforglipron is the first non-peptide oral GLP-1 approved in the US; oral semaglutide (Rybelsus, Novo Nordisk) has been approved for T2D since 2019 and expanded to obesity in January 2026. Unlike Rybelsus, orforglipron requires no fasting or water volume restrictions before dosing.

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ClinicalTrials19 Mar 2026·Phase 3● 9/10iHigh impact

Efficacy and Safety of Tirzepatide Once Weekly in Participants Without Type 2 Diabetes Who Have Obesity or Are Overweight With Weight-Related Comorbidities: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial (SURMOUNT-1)

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Weight lossGLP-1Eli Lilly
ClinicalTrials17 Apr 2026·Phase 3● 8/10iHigh impactPick of the week

The Effect of Semaglutide in Subjects With Non-cirrhotic Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis

Phase 3 trial evaluates semaglutide versus placebo in adults with non-cirrhotic NASH, measuring steatohepatitis resolution, fibrosis improvement, and cirrhosis-free survival over approximately 5 years. The study enrolled 1,205 adults and is active but not recruiting, with completion expected in 2029. This represents Novo Nordisk's push into NASH, a major unmet need with no approved GLP-1 therapies despite strong preclinical rationale. The trial's dual primary endpoints and 5-year duration suggest preparation for a pivotal regulatory filing in this large addressable market.

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ClinicalTrials17 Apr 2026·Phase 3● 8/10iHigh impact

A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of Retatrutide Once Weekly in Participants Who Have Obesity or Overweight and Chronic Low Back Pain

Phase 3 trial evaluating retatrutide for chronic low back pain in people with obesity or overweight, targeting dual primary endpoints of pain intensity reduction and weight loss. 586-person placebo-controlled study expected to complete September 2027, investigating a novel indication beyond traditional metabolic endpoints. Eli Lilly is exploring pain management as a potential expansion for their triple agonist, representing the first major trial of a GLP-1-based therapy specifically for chronic pain conditions.

GLP-1Weight lossOtherEli Lilly

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