Obesity drugs show up to 30% weight loss at EASD 2026

At the EASD 2026 congress in Milan, new data presented a significant shift in obesity treatment, focusing on metabolic health and neurological hunger cues rather than just weight reduction.

Research on the drug retatrutide showed substantial results in Phase 3 TRIUMPH-1 trials, where participants achieved an average weight loss of 28.3% over 80 weeks. Notably, 45.3% of participants lost at least 30% of their initial body weight. In the TRIUMPH-2 study involving individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes, average weight loss reached 20.8%, accompanied by a reduction in HbA1c levels of up to 1.6%.

Additionally, data regarding CagriSema (a combination of cagrilintide and semaglutide) demonstrated a 21% weight loss over 68 weeks in the REDEFINE 9 study. In the REIMAGINE 5 study for type 2 diabetes patients, CagriSema achieved a 12.4% weight loss, outperforming tirzepatide 5 mg. Beyond weight, these treatments showed efficacy in reducing hunger, cravings, and ‘food noise’, while also impacting brain responses to food stimuli.