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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Anna Bawden Health and social affairs correspondent

Triple-action diabetes jab shown to reduce blood sugar and body weight

A hand holds a medical syringe with a blue cap and visible measurement markings against a black background
‘For many people living with diabetes and obesity, treatments like this could be genuinely life-changing.’ Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA

A new triple-action weekly jab for type 2 diabetes could significantly reduce blood sugar and body weight, according to phase 3 trial results.

Patients in the trial receiving weekly retatrutide injections for 40 weeks lost more than four times as much weight as those on placebo, while the average drop in long-term blood sugar (HbA1c) was more than twice that of the placebo.

The triple hormone drug mimics three gut hormones that help control your appetite, blood sugar and metabolism: GLP-1, GIP and glucagon. Unlike other diabetes medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy, which primarily target the GLP-1 pathway to suppress appetite, or Mounjaro, which contains GLP-1 plus GIP to control blood-sugar levels, retatrutide also engages the glucagon receptor, which helps increase energy expenditure.

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