At the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in September, clinical trial results published in The Lancet showed that tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Mounjaro, significantly improved glycemic control and weight management in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes, most of whom had responded poorly to existing therapies.
The SURPASS-PEDS trial, led by the Indiana University School of Medicine, enrolled 99 subjects aged 10–17 years with poorly controlled blood glucose despite treatment with metformin or insulin. Participants received weekly injections of tirzepatide 5 mg, 10 mg, or placebo on top of their existing therapy, with a 30-week treatment period and one-year follow-up.
Results:
79% of patients in the tirzepatide groups achieved an HbA1c below 6.5%, compared with only 29% in the placebo group.
Weight reduction was 7.4% (5 mg group) and 11.2% (10 mg group), significantly superior to the 0.4% reduction in the placebo group.
Treatment-related adverse events were mostly mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal symptoms, which resolved over time.