Research
Retatrutide trials report weight loss and less knee osteoarthritis pain
In TRIUMPH-4, retatrutide reduced knee-pain scores and body weight compared with placebo after 68 weeks.
Retatrutide, an experimental weekly injection, reduced knee osteoarthritis pain and body weight in late-stage trials. Healio reported results from TRIUMPH-4 presented at ACR Convergence. The phase-3 trial assigned 148 patients to 9 mg weekly, 148 to 12 mg weekly and 149 to placebo for 68 weeks. Fox News reported on two trials published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
In TRIUMPH-4, mean changes in WOMAC Pain subscale scores at 68 weeks were -4.48 with 9 mg, -4.41 with 12 mg and -2.43 with placebo, with P <.001 for all. Mean body-weight changes were -26.4%, -28.7% and -2.1%, respectively, also with P <.001 for all. Fox News said a pooled analysis found roughly two-thirds of participants taking retatrutide had at least a 50% drop in knee pain, compared with 38% receiving placebo.
Healio reported that mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal events were the most common adverse events and that two deaths were assessed as unrelated to treatment. Fox News said serious adverse events were more common among retatrutide recipients than among those receiving placebo. Whether retatrutide slows osteoarthritis progression or reduces future joint replacements remains unknown, Fox News reported.
