Eli Lilly and Company has announced promising results from its SUMMIT Phase 3 trial, which studied the effects of tirzepatide on patients with heart failure and obesity. The trial demonstrated that tirzepatide significantly reduced the risk of worsening heart failure events in adults with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
The study involved 731 participants and found that those treated with tirzepatide experienced not only a decrease in heart failure complications but also improvements in symptoms and physical limitations. Specifically, the drug lowered the risk of cardiovascular death and worsening heart failure events by 38% over a median follow-up period of about two years.
In the trial, cardiovascular deaths or worsening heart failure occurred in 9.9% of the tirzepatide group compared to 15.3% in the placebo group. Additionally, worsening heart failure events were reported in 8% of those receiving tirzepatide versus 14.2% in the placebo group. The risk of hospitalization for heart failure was reduced by an impressive 56%.
Patients on tirzepatide also showed significant improvements in their quality of life, as measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Clinical Summary Score (KCCQ-CSS). Those treated with tirzepatide saw nearly a 25-point improvement, while the placebo group improved by only 15 points.
All key secondary endpoints were met in the study. Patients taking tirzepatide walked about 30 meters farther in six minutes compared to those on placebo. Furthermore, participants on tirzepatide experienced an average weight loss of 15.7%, compared to just 2.2% for those receiving placebo.
Tirzepatide also led to a significant reduction in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a marker of systemic inflammation, decreasing by 43.4% in the treatment group versus a mere 3.5% reduction in the placebo group.
Eli Lilly plans to submit these findings to regulatory agencies, including the FDA and European Medicines Agency, to expand the approved uses for tirzepatide concerning HFpEF and obesity.
This announcement comes as Eli Lilly continues to develop its portfolio of treatments for obesity-related conditions. The company’s stock was down 2.54% at $727.27 following the news.
Overall, this trial positions tirzepatide as a potential game-changer for patients dealing with both obesity and heart failure, offering new hope for improved health outcomes.
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