The latest from real human studies — trial readouts, enrollment news, and what the Phase results actually showed.
Eli Lilly reported that combining Zepbound (tirzepatide) with the immunology drug Taltz improved symptoms in obese patients with psoriatic arthritis compared to Taltz alone. The findings suggest the GLP-1 drug may have benefits beyond weight loss, potentially aiding those with autoimmune joint pain. Despite the positive data, the drug's prescribing patterns are likely to remain driven by its primary weight loss indications.
Pfizer has advanced its obesity strategy by reporting positive mid-stage clinical results for a long-acting version of the oral peptide danuglipron. Acquired through the purchase of biotech firm Metsera, the therapy is being developed as a once-monthly injection to help patients maintain weight loss. Despite the clinical milestone, investor sentiment cooled as the market awaits detailed comparisons to current market leaders.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals has released clinical data for suzetrigine (VX-548), a novel non-opioid pain treatment. The drug met primary endpoints in acute pain trials but failed to outperform placebo in a study for sciatica. Despite the mixed results, Vertex is moving forward with regulatory submissions, positioning the molecule as a potential alternative to opioids.
Elicio Therapeutics announced that the Phase 2 AMPLIFY-7P study of ELI-002 7P in adjuvant pancreatic cancer did not meet its primary endpoint of disease-free survival (DFS) in the overall intent-to-treat population. However, the company attributes this failure to an imbalance in high-risk patients with residual disease (R1 resection) in the treatment arm. In a post-hoc analysis of patients with complete tumor resection (R0), the peptide vaccine demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in DFS and a strong correlation between mutant KRAS-specific T cell responses and survival.
Preliminary results from a Phase 1/2 study presented at ESMO GI 2026 evaluate the safety and efficacy of zoldonrasib (RMC-9805) combined with chemotherapy for first-line treatment of RAS G12D-mutated metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Zoldonrasib is an oral, selective inhibitor designed to target the RAS G12D mutation, which occurs in approximately 40% of pancreatic cancer cases and currently lacks approved targeted therapies. The study assesses the drug in combination with standard regimens like mFOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel.
Preliminary results from a Phase 1 study presented at ESMO GI 2026 evaluated the combination of zoldonrasib and daraxonrasib for treating second-line or later KRAS G12D-mutant metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The trial aimed to determine if the dual RAS(ON) inhibitor strategy could improve outcomes over standard chemotherapy, which typically yields low response rates in this aggressive cancer.
OS Animal Health is developing OST-HER2, an immunotherapy for canine osteosarcoma that utilizes a bioengineered Listeria vector to target the HER2 protein. In a Phase 2 trial, the combination of OST-HER2 and radiation significantly improved survival rates compared to radiation alone, with a 2-year survival rate of 20% versus 1%. The company is currently engaging in a 'test the waters' campaign under Regulation Crowdfunding to gauge investor interest.
Novo Nordisk's experimental combination therapy CagriSema demonstrated superior weight loss and blood sugar control compared to semaglutide alone in a Phase 3 trial. The drug combines the GLP-1 agonist semaglutide with cagrilintide, an amylin receptor agonist, resulting in a 14.2% reduction in body weight over 68 weeks. These results suggest a potential new standard for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Eli Lilly's investigational amylin receptor agonist, eloralintide, demonstrated 'clinically meaningful' weight loss in a phase 2 trial. The highest dose achieved up to 20.1% weight reduction at 48 weeks. The drug showed an acceptable tolerability profile, particularly when using dose escalation to mitigate gastrointestinal side effects.
Eli Lilly announced positive Phase 2 results for eloralintide, a selective amylin receptor agonist, showing placebo-adjusted weight loss ranging from 9.1% to 19.7% over 48 weeks. The drug demonstrated a favorable tolerability profile and improvements in cardiometabolic markers. Based on these data, Lilly plans to initiate Phase 3 trials for obesity treatment next month.
Boehringer Ingelheim and Zealand Pharma's survodutide - a dual glucagon/GLP-1 receptor agonist - produced up to 16.6% mean weight loss at 76 weeks in the phase 3 SYNCHRONIZE-1 obesity trial, with a striking 34% reduction in visceral fat and a 63% reduction in liver fat versus 25% on placebo. Roughly 85% of treated patients achieved at least 5% weight loss. Published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism (Wharton et al., 2025), the data differentiate survodutide on body-composition and MASLD (fatty liver) benefits rather than raw weight-loss magnitude, where it trails the triple-agonist retatrutide.
The amylin/GLP-1 combination CagriSema - Novo Nordisk's cagrilintide paired with semaglutide - achieved 22.7% mean weight loss at 68 weeks in the phase 3a REDEFINE 1 trial in adults with overweight or obesity, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Davies et al., 2025). Roughly 40% of CagriSema-treated participants lost at least 25% of body weight, and the combination beat both semaglutide and cagrilintide alone. In REDEFINE 2 (type 2 diabetes) the regimen delivered up to a 1.91 percentage-point HbA1c reduction. A head-to-head (REDEFINE 4) showed CagriSema (23.0%) slightly trailing tirzepatide (25.5%), clarifying the competitive ordering at the top of the obesity market.
Eli Lilly's orforglipron - a once-daily, small-molecule oral GLP-1 receptor agonist (no injection, no peptide backbone) - met its primary endpoint in the phase 3 ATTAIN-1 obesity trial, with the 36 mg dose producing 12.4% mean weight loss (~27 lb) at 72 weeks in 3,127 adults. Nearly 60% of participants on that dose lost at least 10% of body weight and ~40% lost at least 15%, with cardiometabolic improvements, results published in the New England Journal of Medicine. A parallel type-2-diabetes trial (ATTAIN-2, Lancet) confirmed statistically superior weight reduction versus placebo. While the magnitude trails injectable leaders tirzepatide and retatrutide, orforglipron is the first oral GLP-1 with phase 3 efficacy approaching the injectable class.
Novo Nordisk's amycretin, a long-acting GLP-1 and amylin receptor agonist, demonstrated significant weight loss and a tolerable safety profile in a Phase 1b/2a trial. The study tested both single and multiple ascending doses, with the highest dose cohort achieving substantial reductions in body weight over 36 weeks. Gastrointestinal issues were the most common side effects, but no unexpected safety concerns were reported.
Amgen's MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide) - a peptide that both activates GLP-1 and blocks GIP receptors, designed for once-monthly dosing - produced up to roughly 20% average weight loss at 52 weeks in a phase 2 trial in adults with obesity, with or without type 2 diabetes, results published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Jastreboff et al., 2025). Notably, weight reduction had not plateaued at 52 weeks, implying further loss with continued treatment. The novel mechanism (GLP-1 agonism plus GIP antagonism, rather than dual agonism) and monthly schedule differentiate MariTide in a crowded obesity pipeline; phase 3 MARITIME studies are now underway.
Eli Lilly's retatrutide - a first-in-class triple GLP-1/GIP/glucagon receptor agonist - delivered bariatric-surgery-level weight loss across its phase 3 TRIUMPH program in obesity and type 2 diabetes, with the 12 mg dose achieving roughly 28.7% mean weight reduction at 68 weeks and about 30.3% (~85 lb) in a pre-specified 104-week extension with no plateau. In TRANSCEND-T2D-1, retatrutide cut HbA1c by 1.7-2.0 percentage points at 40 weeks, and up to 68% of participants hit the composite of A1c <=6.5% plus >=10% weight loss. The data position retatrutide at the top of the obesity efficacy ladder, ahead of tirzepatide and semaglutide, pending regulatory filings.
The FLOW trial (Perkovic et al., NEJM 2024) established that once-weekly semaglutide significantly reduces the risk of clinically important kidney outcomes and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) - the first GLP-1 receptor agonist to demonstrate dedicated renal-protection benefit at this scale. The trial was stopped early for efficacy because the benefit crossed pre-specified thresholds. The results have driven updates to kidney-disease treatment guidelines and expanded the cardiometabolic case for GLP-1 peptide therapy well beyond weight and glycemic control.