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Retatrutide Telehealth Digest

A documented record of what retatrutide trials have measured — pharmacokinetics, dosing windows, and timing, read straight from the literature.

Open the papers behind the numbers

Retatrutide references with a plain note for each source

Eli Lilly paid for Phase 1b, an early safety study, and Phase 2 tests. Phase 3 is still under way. Each source below has a link you can open.

Phase 1 checked early harm and time in blood

These studies cover early harm and time in blood. One found a 6-day half-life, so blood levels fell by half in that time.

[7] Eli Lilly and Company. In 2019, healthy adults received the first test drug. Search ClinicalTrials.gov for study numbers LY3437943 or NCT04143802. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04143802

[4] Urva S, Coskun T, Loh MT, and other writers. This 2022 Phase 1b early safety study checked adults with type 2 diabetes as amounts rose. It followed Phase 1 and used a placebo shot with no retatrutide. Lancet. 400:1869–1881. doi (paper link):10.1016/S0140-6736(22)02033-5. PMID (PubMed number): 36354040. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36354040/

Phase 2 found lower weight, blood sugar, and liver fat

Phase 2 covered obesity, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver. Staff formed the groups by chance.

[1] Jastreboff AM and other writers ran a Phase 2 study of people with obesity in 2023. Source 1 covers weight loss and harm. N Engl J Med. 389(6):514–526. doi (paper link):10.1056/NEJMoa2301972. PMID (PubMed number): 37366315. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37366315/

[2] Rosenstock J and other writers ran a Phase 2 study in adults with type 2 diabetes during 2023. People got retatrutide, a placebo shot, or another treatment without knowing which. Lancet. 402(10401):529–544. doi (paper link):10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01053-X. PMID (PubMed number): 37385280. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37385280/

[5] Sanyal AJ, Kaplan LM, Frias JP, and other writers studied people with fatty liver in 2024. This was Phase 2a, a smaller second-stage test. Nature Medicine. 30:2037–2048. doi (paper link):10.1038/s41591-024-03018-2. PMID (PubMed number): 38858523. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11271400/

Open any link yourself, or take the source to your doctor.

A lab study showed cells reacting to retatrutide

[3] Li W, Zhou Q, Cong Z, and other writers studied cells in a dish during 2024. The pictures showed that cells could react to each of retatrutide's three hormone effects. Cell Discovery. 10:77. doi, the paper's lasting web name:10.1038/s41421-024-00700-0. PMID, its PubMed number: 39019866. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11255275/

Large Phase 3 studies haven't reported results

Each long number below is a study number. Paste it into the study website to open the exact record.

[7] Eli Lilly and Company lists the first retatrutide study in healthy adults. Study number NCT04143802. ClinicalTrials.gov, 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04143802

[8] Eli Lilly and Company. TRIUMPH-2 follows people with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Study number NCT05931367. ClinicalTrials.gov, 2023. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05931367

[9] Eli Lilly and Company. TRIUMPH-3 follows people with obesity and heart disease. Study number NCT05882045. ClinicalTrials.gov, 2023. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05882045

[10] Eli Lilly and Company lists a study of long-term effects on the heart and kidneys. Study number NCT06383390. ClinicalTrials.gov, 2024. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06383390

[11] Eli Lilly and Company lists a study comparing retatrutide with tirzepatide. Study number NCT06662383. ClinicalTrials.gov, 2024. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06662383

Reviews compare retatrutide with other obesity medicines

[6] Katsi V, Koutsopoulos G, Fragoulis C, Dimitriadis K, and Tsioufis K wrote this 2025 review. It covers retatrutide as a possible obesity medicine. Biomolecules. 15:796. doi (paper link):10.3390/biom15060796. PMID (PubMed number): 40563436. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12190491/

[12] Caruso I and other writers reviewed obesity drugs that copy gut hormones in 2024. npj Metabolic Health and Disease. doi (paper link):10.1038/s44324-024-00030-5. PMID (PubMed number): 40604322. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44324-024-00030-5

[13] Kusminski CM and other writers reviewed obesity drugs that copy more than one hormone in 2024. Cell. doi (paper link):10.1016/j.cell.2024.06.003. PMID (PubMed number): 39059360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2024.06.003

[14] Naeem M and other writers discussed retatrutide for obesity and extra weight in 2024. Health Science Reports. doi (paper link):10.1002/hsr2.1864. PMID (PubMed number): 38323122. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1864

[15] Panou T and other writers summed up findings in type 2 diabetes and obesity during 2026. Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology. doi (paper link):10.1080/17512433.2026.2642415. PMID (PubMed number): 41785010. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512433.2026.2642415

You can open any review that matters to you. Your doctor can help you judge what it means.

  1. Jastreboff AM, et al. Triple-Hormone-Receptor Agonist Retatrutide for Obesity — A Phase 2 Trial. N Engl J Med. 2023;389(6):514–526. ↗
  2. Rosenstock J, et al. Retatrutide, a GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist, for people with type 2 diabetes: a randomised, double-blind, placebo and active-controlled, parallel-group, phase 2 trial. Lancet. 2023;402(10401):529–544. ↗
  3. Li W, Zhou Q, Cong Z, et al. Structural insights into the triple agonism at GLP-1R, GIPR and GCGR manifested by retatrutide. Cell Discovery. 2024;10:77. ↗
  4. Urva S, Coskun T, Loh MT, et al. LY3437943, a novel triple GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon receptor agonist in people with type 2 diabetes: a phase 1b, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, multiple-ascending dose trial. Lancet. 2022;400:1869–1881. ↗
  5. Sanyal AJ, Kaplan LM, Frias JP, et al. Triple hormone receptor agonist retatrutide for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a randomized phase 2a trial. Nature Medicine. 2024;30:2037–2048. ↗
  6. Katsi V, Koutsopoulos G, Fragoulis C, Dimitriadis K, Tsioufis K. Retatrutide — A Game Changer in Obesity Pharmacotherapy. Biomolecules. 2025;15:796. ↗
  7. Eli Lilly and Company. A Study of LY3437943 in Healthy Participants (NCT04143802). ClinicalTrials.gov, 2019. ↗
  8. Eli Lilly and Company. A Study of Retatrutide (LY3437943) Once Weekly in Participants With Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes (TRIUMPH-2) (NCT05931367). ClinicalTrials.gov, 2023. ↗
  9. Eli Lilly and Company. A Study of Retatrutide (LY3437943) in Participants With Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease (TRIUMPH-3) (NCT05882045). ClinicalTrials.gov, 2023. ↗
  10. Eli Lilly and Company. The Effect of Retatrutide Once Weekly on Cardiovascular Outcomes and Kidney Function (NCT06383390). ClinicalTrials.gov, 2024. ↗
  11. Eli Lilly and Company. A Study of Retatrutide (LY3437943) Compared to Tirzepatide (LY3298176) (NCT06662383). ClinicalTrials.gov, 2024. ↗
  12. Caruso I, et al. Incretin-based therapies for the treatment of obesity-related diseases. npj Metabolic Health and Disease. 2024. ↗
  13. Kusminski CM, et al. Transforming obesity: The advancement of multi-receptor drugs. Cell. 2024. ↗
  14. Naeem M, et al. Unleashing the power of retatrutide: A possible triumph over obesity and overweight: A correspondence. Health Science Reports. 2024. ↗
  15. Panou T, et al. Retatrutide in type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity: an overview. Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology. 2026. ↗