Spanning 176 weeks of treatment, the Phase III trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of tirzepatide in adults without type 2 diabetes (T2D) who were either obese or overweight with complications such as cardiovascular disease, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, obstructive or sleep apnoea (OSA).

Eli Lilly and Company (LLY, Financials) said tirzepatide drastically reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes in pre-diabetics and obese or overweight people over 176 weeks; shares rose modestly after hours.

Eli Lilly said on Wednesday its weight-loss drug helped nearly 99% of patients remain diabetes-free after three years of weekly injections. The results suggest that tirzepatide - the active ingredient in Lilly's diabetes drug Mounjaro and weight-loss treatment Zepbound - could prevent one new case of diabetes for every nine patients treated.

Nearly 99% of people with prediabetes and obesity or overweight who took weekly tirzepatide injections remained diabetes-free for over three years of using the drug, according to new data from the drugmaker Eli Lilly.