New research from Eli Lilly (LLY.US) reveals that combining its popular weight-loss injection Zepbound with the arthritis drug Taltz demonstrates significantly better results in alleviating joint pain and swelling compared to either therapy alone. This company-supported study opens a new front for the application of GLP-1 class drugs in the fields of inflammation and autoimmune diseases.
The study enrolled 271 patients suffering from both obesity and active psoriatic arthritis. Results indicated that the combination therapy was more effective at helping patients lose weight and control their arthritis than using Taltz alone, meeting the trial's primary objective.
Approximately one-third of patients on the combination therapy experienced at least a 50% reduction in their psoriatic arthritis symptoms, compared to 20.4% of patients using only Taltz, according to a statement from Eli Lilly.
GLP-1 receptor agonists like Zepbound have already been proven to reduce inflammation levels in patients with diabetes and obesity. Observational studies and case reports have even linked them to improvements in autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, but this study provides the first validation for this theory.
With the obesity drug market projected to reach $100 billion by 2030, part of Zepbound's appeal lies in its potential to address other health issues, including sleep apnea and heart failure. Lilly has incorporated this thinking into the development of its next-generation weight-loss drug, retatrutide, which is being studied for conditions like knee osteoarthritis and chronic kidney disease.
The company stated it plans to discuss the study findings with drug regulatory agencies, a move that could lead to an expansion of its drug label indications or modifications to clinical treatment guidelines.
In the United States, approximately 65% of adult psoriatic arthritis patients also have obesity, meaning the majority of them are already eligible for treatment with Zepbound based on existing criteria.
The Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant is also exploring the efficacy of combining Zepbound and Taltz for treating plaque psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease. Results from the plaque psoriasis trial are expected to be announced in the first half of this year.
Taltz is one of several Lilly drugs for inflammatory diseases like arthritis and psoriasis, with annual sales exceeding $3 billion, although its key patent protection is set to expire in the coming years.
The combination study with Zepbound is part of Lilly's strategy to leverage its success in the obesity field to drive growth in other businesses, such as immunology. The company is also actively seeking deals to expand its product pipeline.
On Wednesday, Lilly announced it would acquire Ventyx Biosciences for up to $1.2 billion, thereby gaining access to oral therapies for inflammatory diseases. This move builds upon earlier acquisitions of companies developing oral autoimmune therapies, such as Morphic Therapeutic and Dice Therapeutics.
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