{
  "id": 10964304,
  "title": "‘Astonishing’ weight loss when GLP-1 drug used with second medication",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/astonishing-weight-loss-when-glp-1-drug-used-with-second-medication",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-30T14:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Scientist",
    "slug": "new-scientist",
    "url": "https://www.newscientist.com/article/2591430-astonishing-weight-loss-when-glp1-drug-used-with-second-medication/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A groundbreaking weight loss study has revealed that combining the GLP-1 drug Tirzepatide with another hormone-targeting treatment, Eloralintide, can lead to far greater weight loss than either drug alone. Tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound, is already the most potent approved weight-loss medication, typically used by adults with type 2 diabetes, obesity, or other weight-related conditions.\n\nIn the study, participants were divided into three groups: one received only a 15-milligram dose of Tirzepatide, another received a combination of high-dose Tirzepatide and Eloralintide, and the third received a placebo. Over an 11-month period, the group receiving the combined treatment lost an average of 24.5 kilograms, or 23.3% of their body weight, while those on Tirzepatide alone lost 15.6 kilograms, and the placebo group lost only 3%.\n\nThe researchers attribute this significant difference in weight loss to the addition of Eloralintide, which targets a different appetite-suppressing hormone and activates a third, previously unexploited appetite-regulating pathway. This combination therapy has also been shown to reduce blood sugar levels by an average of 2.4% in Tirzepatide users and 2.9% in those on the high-dose treatment, compared to just a 0.3% reduction in the placebo group.\n\nWhile the combination therapy showed promising results in terms of weight loss, some participants experienced mild to moderate side effects, such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, which were more common in the EloraTZP group than in the other groups. This may deter some individuals from pursuing the combined treatment, even if the potential for greater weight loss exists.\n\nDespite these concerns, the study's findings suggest that the combination of Tirzepatide and Eloralintide could become a more effective weight-loss therapy in the near future. The team plans to launch a larger trial of the EloraTZP combination, delivered as a single weekly injection, by the end of the year. If approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, this approach could become widely available within a few years, offering a more potent alternative to existing weight-loss medications.",
  "summary": "Tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound, is our most potent weight-loss drug, but it can be made even more effective when combined with a complementary medicine",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}