KENT COUNTY, Mich — A new weight loss drug could soon be joining the growing list of medications helping Americans get healthy — and a West Michigan doctor says it may be the most powerful one yet.
Retatrutide is being called a "super weight loss drug" by Dr. Celia Egan of True Women's Health, who says it outperforms existing options on the market.
"Essentially, is a super weight loss drug. It's much more potent than tirzepatide or semaglutide is," Egan said. "What makes it special is it's actually what they call a triple agonist, so that means it mimics three different GI tract hormones."
That potency is showing up in clinical results.
"Now we're talking about close to 28 to 30% body weight loss in some of these studies with retatrutide," Egan said.
The drug won't be for everyone, Egan says. She says the biggest benefits will be for patients who need to lose a significant amount of weight — between 50 and 100 pounds — as well as those with Type 2 diabetes and patients with fatty liver disease.
The broader landscape of weight loss medications has already been shifting. From GLP-1s like Wegovy to Zepbound, more Americans than ever are turning to medication-assisted options.
"I think the numbers continue to go up, just because patients are feeling more confident using these drugs, and the indications keep expanding," Egan said.
Egan says that trend is only going to continue.
This month, Eli Lilly announced plans to seek FDA approval for retatrutide early next year. Side effects, like stomach upset, are similar to those of other weight loss drugs. There is no word yet on cost.
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