A new study presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2026 annual meeting in Milan shows that pairing the injectable weight‑loss medication Mounjaro with the experimental drug Elora can help people with type 2 diabetes and obesity lose an average of 54 pounds (about 23.3% of body weight) in less than a year.
The findings were unveiled at a major diabetes conference, drawing attention from clinicians and researchers worldwide.
A Promising Dual Therapy
Researchers reported that participants receiving the highest dose combination of 9 mg Elora and 15 mg Mounjaro shed an average of 23.3 % of their total body mass over 48 weeks, translating to roughly 54 lb of weight loss. This result surpasses the 11.1 % reduction seen with Elora alone and highlights the added benefit of combining the two agents.
How the Research Was Structured
The trial enrolled 367 adults classified as overweight or obese and living with type 2 diabetes. At baseline, the mean weight was 232.4 lb (105.4 kg). Participants were divided into nine arms: varying doses of Elora alone, different combinations of Elora with Mounjaro, Mounjaro monotherapy, and a placebo group. Both drugs were administered as separate pen injections, with Elora acting as an amylin receptor agonist and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) as a glucagon‑like peptide‑1 receptor agonist.
Quantifiable Benefits
Those on the combined regimen at the maximum studied doses lost an average of 23.3 % of body weight, equivalent to 54.1 lb, and a quarter of the cohort achieved a weight reduction exceeding 30 %, a threshold typically reached only after bariatric surgery. In addition, all participants showed improved blood glucose control, with the combination group experiencing the greatest decline in HbA1c levels.
“A quarter of people achieved a greater than 30 per cent weight reduction threshold in the high dose combination arm, and this degree of weight loss is comparable to what we see in metabolic surgery.”
“Obesity and type 2 diabetes are interconnected, and we are seeing the potential benefit of targeting multiple hormonal pathways to address both,” Dr Billings said. “Across the dose combinations studied with eloralintide and tirzepatide, participants had substantial weight loss alongside meaningful reductions in HbA1c. “These are outcomes that matter to patients.” “We need to continue building on these findings so that in the future, we can offer patients more treatment options that address both weight and blood sugar control and better reflect the complexity of living with type 2 diabetes and obesity.”
Safety, Tolerability and Next Steps
The most common adverse events were mild to moderate gastrointestinal symptoms, typically occurring during dose escalation. These effects were more frequent in the combination arm than with either drug alone, but remained manageable and did not lead to discontinuation for the majority of participants. As a phase 2b study, the trial was designed to assess safety and efficacy before larger Phase 3 investigations.
Dr Billings added, “I just want to highlight the point that we now have the opportunity with medications and combinations like this to be able to personalise our approach for our patients and be able to make sure we’re addressing their weight loss needs as well their glucose needs by different levels and combinations of these medications.”
Why it Matters
This dual‑therapy approach could transform the management of obesity‑related type 2 diabetes, offering a non‑surgical option that delivers weight loss comparable to metabolic surgery while also improving glycaemic control. If confirmed in larger trials, the combination may become a standard part of treatment programmes, reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease, improving quality of life, and lowering healthcare costs associated with chronic obesity.
