Weight reduction over time in tirzepatide-treated participants by early weight loss response: Post hoc analysis in SURMOUNT-1.
Diabetes Obes Metab · 2025
Last updated 2026-05-28In a study of 1,545 people taking tirzepatide, 82% lost at least 5% of their body weight within 12 weeks (early responders), while 18% did not (late responders). By 72 weeks, 90% of late responders had reached at least 5% weight loss, with an average time to reach this goal of about 25 weeks.
AI summary of the abstract below.
| Journal | Diabetes Obes Metab, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Citations | 5 |
| Relative citation ratio | 1.73 |
| Molecules | tirzepatide |
| Conditions studied | Obesity |
Abstract
AIMS: The objective was to assess weight reduction at Weeks 24 and 72 in participants treated with tirzepatide based on weight reduction response after 12 weeks of treatment in the SURMOUNT-1 trial.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This post hoc analysis included participants treated with tirzepatide who received ≥75% of the assigned treatment doses and had weight measurements at Weeks 0, 12, 24 and 72. Participants were categorized based on the 12-week response to tirzepatide: late responders (<5% weight reduction at Week 12) or early responders (≥5% weight reduction at Week 12).
RESULTS: A total of 1545 participants were included in the analyses, with 278 (18%) categorized as late responders and 1267 (82%) categorized as early responders. At baseline, late responders compared to early responders were more likely to be male (45% vs. 30%) and had higher body weight (110.2 vs. 103.6 kg), body mass index (BMI) (39.1 vs. 37.7 kg/m) and waist circumference (117.5 vs. 113.4 cm). At the end of dose titration, Week 24, 194 (70%) late responders achieved ≥5% body weight reduction. At Week 72, 250 (90%) late responders achieved ≥5% body weight reduction. The mean time to reach 5% weight reduction for late responders was 24.8 ± 12.7 weeks. Higher doses of tirzepatide were associated with higher proportions of participants achieving various weight reduction thresholds at Weeks 24 and 72.
CONCLUSIONS: Among late responders to tirzepatide, the vast majority (90%) achieved 5% or more weight reduction at Week 72. This finding suggests that extending treatment well beyond 12 weeks may allow additional patients to achieve clinically meaningful weight reduction.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT04184622, available at http://www.
CLINICALTRIALS: gov/.
Verbatim abstract via PubMed 40677091 ↗
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