Retatrutide for type 2 diabetes isn't FDA-approved for routine prescribing. In Lilly's 40-week trial without other diabetes medicine, it lowered A1C — your 3-month blood sugar average — by up to 2 percentage points on average, versus 0.8 with placebo. Weight fell up to 16.8%. Clinical trials and narrow expanded access have separate rules.
Three things change that answer for you. That trial only included people taking no diabetes medicine. Results for people taking diabetes pills are out from TRIUMPH-2; the separate semaglutide comparison and the trial in people using insulin who also have kidney disease haven't reported. And Lilly plans to apply for FDA approval in early 2027 — an application, not an approval date.
Here's the part most headlines skip: Mounjaro also produced a large A1C drop in a separate trial without other diabetes medicine. The retatrutide trial reported more weight loss, but the studies can't prove which drug is better. The table below shows both — and why the placebo results matter.
RX Index Decision Verdict: Don't put your diabetes care on hold for retatrutide.
- Best for: adults with type 2 diabetes who want to know whether this drug is worth waiting for.
- Not ideal for: anyone looking for a seller, a dose, or a plan to swap out a current medicine. We don't publish those for an unapproved drug.
- The factor that matters most: whether the trial people looked like you — especially which diabetes medicines they were already taking.
Retatrutide vs Mounjaro and Ozempic for A1C
In separate trials of people with type 2 diabetes taking no other diabetes medicine, retatrutide, Mounjaro (tirzepatide), and Ozempic (semaglutide) all lowered A1C by roughly 1.4 to 1.9 points. The retatrutide trial reported more weight loss. Published head-to-head diabetes results against either drug weren't available when we checked, so these separate studies don't establish which drug works better.
We built this table from three trials with a similar basic design: adults with type 2 diabetes, no diabetes medicine at the start, a weekly shot or a placebo (a look-alike shot with no medicine). Their populations, lengths, and statistical methods still differ.
| Trial (medicine and research doses) | Length | Starting A1C | A1C change by dose | A1C change on placebo | Reached A1C under 7% | Weight change by dose | Weight change on placebo | FDA status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRANSCEND-T2D-1 (retatrutide 4 / 9 / 12 mg) | 40 weeks | 7.9% | −1.69 / −1.86 / −1.94 | −0.81 | 82% to 89% (placebo 52%) | −24 / −30 / −33 lb | −6 lb | Not approved |
| SURPASS-1 (Mounjaro 5 / 10 / 15 mg) | 40 weeks | 7.9% to 8.1% | −1.8 / −1.7 / −1.7 | −0.1 | 82% / 85% / 78% (placebo 23%) | −14 / −15 / −17 lb | −2 lb | Approved for type 2 diabetes |
| SUSTAIN 1 (Ozempic 0.5 / 1 mg) | 30 weeks | 8.0% to 8.1% | −1.4 / −1.6 | −0.1 | 73% / 70% (placebo 28%) | −8 / −10 lb | −3 lb | Approved for type 2 diabetes |
A1C changes are percentage points. Retatrutide numbers use the trial's "treatment-regimen" analysis, which estimates outcomes despite stopping or adding medicine. The label analyses for Mounjaro and Ozempic also account for treatment changes, but the methods for estimating missing results differ. These are changes from each group's starting value; doses aren't equivalent across drugs. Weights are converted from kilograms and rounded. Sources: TRANSCEND-T2D-1, The Lancet, June 202600967-0); Lilly, March 19, 2026; Mounjaro prescribing information, Table 4, revised 8/2026; Ozempic prescribing information, Table 3, revised 05/2026. Checked October 24, 2026.
How to read it. Look at the placebo column first. A1C fell 0.81 points in the retatrutide trial's placebo group. About 1 in 5 of them started rescue diabetes medicine during the study, and that analysis includes outcomes after rescue. Rescue treatment also occurred in 25% of the Mounjaro trial's placebo group and 20% of the Ozempic trial's placebo group. The studies used different methods for estimating missing results, too; rescue rates alone don't explain the different placebo results.
The published placebo-adjusted differences look different, too. The retatrutide trial reported an extra drop of 1.12 points at 12 mg beyond placebo. Mounjaro's label reports 1.6 to 1.7. Ozempic's reports 1.2 to 1.4. These are the studies' adjusted estimates, which may not exactly match subtraction of rounded table values.
That doesn't mean retatrutide is weaker. Different trials enroll different people. The retatrutide trial's volunteers had diabetes for only 2.5 years on average, and the study ran in India, Mexico, and the U.S. The trial's authors also discussed cross-trial comparisons and called them "hypothesis generating."
What you can take from it today: on blood sugar alone, these numbers don't show retatrutide ahead of Mounjaro. The larger weight loss reported in the retatrutide trial is worth watching, but it doesn't prove a head-to-head win. TRANSCEND-T2D-2 directly tests retatrutide against semaglutide, not Mounjaro. Its main data collection ended August 27, 2026, and we found no announced results when we checked on October 24, 2026.
For the approved products' uses and safety details, see the Mounjaro and Ozempic labels. For weight results by study, see retatrutide weight-loss results.
Retatrutide isn't a routine prescription option today, but approved medicines are. The right one isn't the same for everyone — it depends on your state, your insurance and formulary (your plan's drug list), whether an option is FDA-approved or compounded, a shot or a pill, and your budget. Compounded medicines are not FDA-approved, and FDA does not review their safety, effectiveness, or quality before marketing; retatrutide cannot legally be compounded. The RX Index's Find My GLP-1 Path tool asks a few quick questions — free, about 2 minutes, no signup — and shows the GLP-1 paths and providers that fit your goals, budget, insurance, and situation. It won't get you retatrutide, and it doesn't replace your diabetes clinician.
What do trials show about retatrutide for type 2 diabetes?
Two finished phase 3 trials tested retatrutide in people with type 2 diabetes. In both, A1C fell about 1.4 to 2.0 points and weight fell far more than on placebo. One tested people taking no diabetes medicine for 40 weeks; the other tested people with diabetes and overweight or obesity for 80 weeks, many of them on diabetes pills.
Retatrutide is Lilly's experimental weekly injection that activates three hormone receptors: GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon. Receptors are signal receivers on cells. (The Lancet00967-0))
TRANSCEND-T2D-1: no other diabetes medicine, 40 weeks
This trial assigned 537 adults to retatrutide or placebo at 48 sites. Their A1C was 7.0% to 9.5% even with diet and exercise. They hadn't taken any diabetes medicine for at least 90 days. On average they were 49 years old, had a BMI (a height-and-weight measure) of 35.8, and weighed 213.6 pounds. The study was funded by Lilly. (The Lancet00967-0))
| Result at 40 weeks | 4 mg | 9 mg | 12 mg | Placebo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1C change — treatment-regimen | −1.69 | −1.86 | −1.94 | −0.81 |
| A1C change — efficacy | −1.7 | −2.0 | −1.9 | −0.8 |
| Weight change — treatment-regimen | −11.5% | −13.9% (−29.8 lb) | −15.3% (−33.3 lb) | −2.6% (−6.0 lb) |
| Weight change — efficacy | −11.5% (−24.5 lb) | −15.5% (−33.3 lb) | −16.8% (−36.6 lb) | −2.5% (−6.2 lb) |
A1C in percentage points; weight change is a percentage of starting weight. Doses were increased under a study protocol. These are study groups, not instructions. Sources: The Lancet00967-0) (treatment-regimen); Lilly (efficacy). Checked October 24, 2026.
The paper also reports that 75% to 83% of people on retatrutide reached an A1C of 6.5% or lower, and 35% to 40% got under 5.7% (the normal range), versus 40% and 14% on placebo.
TRIUMPH-2: diabetes plus overweight or obesity, 80 weeks
This trial assigned 1,152 adults with type 2 diabetes and a BMI of 27 or higher to retatrutide or placebo. They could be on diet and exercise alone or up to three oral diabetes medicines; 92% used oral medicine at entry. Insulin and other GLP-1 medicines weren't allowed as background treatment. Average starting A1C was 7.7% and BMI was 38.2. (The Lancet01861-1); Lilly Medical)
| Result at 80 weeks | 4 mg | 9 mg | 12 mg | Placebo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1C change — treatment-regimen | −1.38 | −1.50 | −1.45 | −0.45 |
| A1C change — efficacy | −1.41 | −1.63 | −1.54 | −0.19 |
| Weight change — treatment-regimen | −11.9% | −16.8% | −18.8% | −5.1% |
| Weight change — efficacy | −12.7% | −19.1% | −20.8% | −4.0% |
| Reached A1C 6.5% or lower — treatment-regimen | 68% | 71% | 72% | 29% |
A1C changes are percentage points; weight changes are percentages of starting weight. Sources: Lilly Medical, TRIUMPH-2 results, last reviewed September 22, 2026; The Lancet01861-1), published September 29, 2026. Checked October 24, 2026.
Notice the 12 mg group didn't have a larger average A1C reduction than the 9 mg group here. Bigger dose doesn't always mean bigger blood-sugar drop.
Why these trials have two numbers
Picture a class where a few students drop out halfway. One grade counts everyone who started. Another estimates how the class would have done if nobody quit.
Trials use a similar idea. The treatment-regimen number estimates outcomes including people who stopped the drug or added the other medicines covered by the analysis. The efficacy number estimates what happens if people stayed on the drug as planned without those additional treatments. Both use statistical estimates for missing results; neither is simply an average of people who finished. Headlines usually lead with the bigger one. When you compare, match like with like. More on this in how to read GLP-1 clinical trials.
For a plain math example, an A1C move from 7.9% to about 6% is a drop of about 2 percentage points. That's an example of the units, not a prediction for you. The opening's "up to 2 points" A1C and "16.8%" weight figures come from different dose groups in the efficacy analysis.
The earlier phase 2 trial
A 2023 phase 2 trial of 281 adults with type 2 diabetes (72% on metformin) found A1C fell 2.02 points at 24 weeks on 12 mg, compared with 1.41 on dulaglutide (Trulicity) 1.5 mg and almost nothing on placebo. Weight fell up to 16.9% at 36 weeks. That direct comparison was with dulaglutide, not Mounjaro or Ozempic. All trials are listed in our retatrutide clinical trials tracker.
Which retatrutide results apply to you?
It depends on what you take now. The two phase 3 trials above tested people on no diabetes medicine or on diabetes pills. They didn't test adding retatrutide to insulin, Ozempic, or Mounjaro, or switching from those medicines.
| If you… | Closest retatrutide evidence | Results out? | What it doesn't tell you | Sensible next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Have type 2 diabetes and take no diabetes medicine | TRANSCEND-T2D-1 | Yes (June 2026) | Your personal result | Ask about an approved option now instead of waiting on a drug with no approval date |
| Take metformin or other diabetes pills and have a BMI of 27+ | TRIUMPH-2 | Yes (Sept 2026) | Safety with every pill combination | Bring your medicine list to your clinician |
| Take metformin, with or without an SGLT2 pill (another class of diabetes medicines) | TRANSCEND-T2D-2 (vs semaglutide) | Not yet | Whether it beats semaglutide, the drug in Ozempic | Keep your plan; watch for the result |
| Take basal (long-acting) insulin and have moderate or severe kidney disease | TRANSCEND-T2D-3 | Not yet | How to change an insulin dose | Talk with your diabetes team before any change |
| Take Mounjaro, Ozempic, or another GLP-1-type drug | None — these drugs weren't allowed in the trials | — | Whether switching would help | Review your goals with your prescriber |
| Have type 1 diabetes | No type 1 trial found in the registry search; type 1 was excluded from both trials | — | Safety or benefit in type 1 diabetes | Your endocrinologist first |
| Are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or under 18 | Not represented in these adult trials | — | Safety in your situation | Your own clinician first |
Sources: The Lancet00967-0); Lilly Medical; NCT06260722; NCT06297603. Checked October 24, 2026.
Say your A1C came down on Mounjaro but your weight has stalled. These trials can't tell you how much more you'd lose after switching. That's a different question, and we found no published study answering it.
Retatrutide side effects and low blood sugar in diabetes
Stomach and gut side effects were the most common in both diabetes trials. A skin-sensation effect called dysesthesia (tingling, burning, or odd touch feelings) showed up more often than on placebo. Retatrutide has no FDA label yet, so these are trial findings, not a full safety picture.
| Reported event (12 mg vs placebo) | TRANSCEND-T2D-1, 40 weeks | TRIUMPH-2, 80 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 26.5% vs 3.7% | 28.0% vs 8.0% |
| Diarrhea | 22.8% vs 4.5% | 33.6% vs 13.2% |
| Vomiting | 17.6% vs 2.2% | 15.7% vs 4.2% |
| Dysesthesia | 4.4% vs 0% | 7.3% vs 0.7% |
| Low blood pressure | not reported as a key event | 6% vs under 1% |
| Stopped study treatment because of an adverse event or death | 5.1% vs 0% | 7.7% vs 4.9% |
Sources: Lilly, March 19, 2026; Lilly, September 29, 2026; Lilly Medical; TRIUMPH-2, The Lancet, Table 301861-1). Selected events only, not a complete list. An adverse event is a health problem during a study, whether or not the drug caused it. Checked October 24, 2026.
In TRIUMPH-2, the 9 mg group stopped study treatment because of an adverse event or death more often (11.6%) than the 12 mg group. Two people died in TRANSCEND-T2D-1, both judged unrelated to the drug. TRIUMPH-2 reported six deaths across the retatrutide groups and one on placebo; investigators judged all seven unrelated to the study treatment.
What about low blood sugar?
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) was rare in the trial without other diabetes medicine. No one had a severe episode, and three people on retatrutide had a reading below 54 mg/dL. In TRIUMPH-2, the combined category of significant or severe low blood sugar was 3% on 12 mg versus 2% on placebo, but the paper reported no severe episodes. The study team managed background medicines under a protocol; the table counted events during treatment and excluded events after new glucose-lowering medicine was started.
Those results don't cover insulin. For approved medicines like Mounjaro and Ozempic, the labels warn that taking them with insulin or a sulfonylurea (like glipizide) raises the risk of low blood sugar. Never add an unapproved product to your diabetes medicines on your own.
More detail: retatrutide side effects, retatrutide skin sensitivity, and GLP-1 low blood sugar risk.
Can you get retatrutide for diabetes right now?
Not as a routine prescription from a pharmacy or telehealth company. The FDA says retatrutide can't be used in compounding and hasn't been found safe and effective for any condition. Authorized patient access is through a clinical trial or Lilly's narrow expanded-access program, which your own doctor has to request — and type 2 diabetes alone doesn't qualify you.
| Path | Where it stands (October 24, 2026) | Who decides | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular prescription | Not available. No approved product. | — | No approved retail price exists |
| Compounded or "research use only" retatrutide sold for patient use | Not lawful patient access. FDA says it can't be compounded and has warned sellers who falsely label products for human use "for research purposes." | — | Seller prices aren't prices for an approved retatrutide product |
| Clinical trial | TRANSCEND-T2D-1 and TRIUMPH-2 are completed; TRANSCEND-T2D-2 and -3 are active, not recruiting. Other studies must be checked individually. | The study team | Ask the site what the study pays for |
| Expanded access | Listed as available, with strict rules | Your treating doctor applies; Lilly reviews each case | Lilly provides the drug at no cost. Visits and tests weren't confirmed. |
Sources: FDA, content current as of October 1, 2026; Lilly Medical, expanded access; NCT07629401. Checked October 24, 2026.
A vial sold online as "reta" has no FDA-approved labeling or dosing instructions. FDA warns that retatrutide products falsely sold to consumers "for research purposes" have unknown quality and may be harmful. The diabetes trials don't establish the safety of combining those products with insulin or a sulfonylurea. See how to avoid fake GLP-1 medications and can you get compounded retatrutide?.
Does type 2 diabetes qualify you for expanded access?
No. Lilly's program requires all of these:
- Age 18 or older.
- BMI of 35 or higher even after sticking with, and tolerating, the highest available dose of a long-term weight medicine.
- Two or more serious or life-threatening conditions caused or worsened by weight, being treated now.
- Unable to join a retatrutide or similar trial, because you don't qualify or no site is reachable.
- All standard options, including weight-loss surgery, discussed with you. Discussing surgery doesn't mean you must have it.
People with a medical reason not to take retatrutide are excluded. Your treating doctor starts the request, not you. If Lilly approves, the doctor must apply to the FDA, get an ethics board's approval, and store and hand out the drug — Lilly doesn't ship it to patients. Access depends on location, supply, and a case-by-case review. (Lilly Medical)
If that list sounds like you, bring it to your doctor. For a step-by-step version, see our retatrutide early access guide. To look for open studies, search Lilly's trial finder; a study team must confirm you can be screened.
When will retatrutide be approved for type 2 diabetes?
There's no approval date. In an October 8 court filing, Lilly said it plans to submit an FDA approval application no later than the first quarter of 2027. FDA says retatrutide must follow the drug-approval process rather than the biologic process Lilly sought, and Lilly disputes that classification. (FDA's October 2 letter)
Lilly's September announcement described the planned filing as built on its TRIUMPH weight-loss trials. The sources we checked don't say whether it will include a type 2 diabetes blood-sugar use.
Here's the order things happen: trial results → filing → FDA review → FDA decision → pharmacies, prices, and insurance. Lilly's stated plan puts retatrutide at step two's doorstep. See the FDA approval process for obesity medicines, our retatrutide cost predictions, and retatrutide news today.
Does a normal A1C on retatrutide mean diabetes is gone?
No. An A1C in the normal range while you take a medicine shows blood-sugar control during treatment. Experts define remission as an A1C under 6.5% that lasts at least three months after stopping diabetes medicine, with yearly checks after that (American Diabetes Association and partners).
These A1C results do not establish remission for at least three months without glucose-lowering medicine. Don't stop a diabetes medicine to "test" for remission; that's a decision for you and the clinician who manages your diabetes.
What you can do for type 2 diabetes now
You don't have to wait. Several FDA-approved medicines in this family are labeled for type 2 diabetes today, including Mounjaro and Ozempic. Starting one now doesn't stop you from asking about retatrutide if it's approved later.
Here's a candid limit: no web page, including this one, can tell you which medicine will work best for you. Your clinician decides that with your labs. What we can do is make that conversation quick and useful.
Bring these to your next visit:
- Your latest A1C and the date it was taken. Don't know it? That's step one — ask the office to pull it.
- Your target A1C. Is your next goal blood sugar, weight, or both?
- Every medicine you take, plus any side effects or low readings you've had.
- Your latest kidney test (eGFR, an estimate of how well your kidneys filter blood), and any eye, heart, stomach, or pregnancy concerns.
- Your insurance card — commercial, Medicare, or Medicaid. Each follows its own rules.
- One clear question: "Is there an approved option that would do more for my A1C or weight than what I'm on now?"
- If the expanded-access rules above fit you: "Would a retatrutide request make sense in my case?"
Missing a number? That's fine. An unknown A1C or BMI isn't a "no." It just means getting that number is the first step.
If you're under 18, pregnant or planning pregnancy, have type 1 diabetes, an eating-disorder history, or a reason a medicine may be unsafe for you, start with your own clinician. A matching tool cannot decide those medical questions.
Where coverage and paperwork come in:
| Your coverage | Start here |
|---|---|
| Commercial insurance | Your plan's formulary; a prior authorization is a permission slip from your insurer → Ozempic prior authorization, how to appeal a Mounjaro denial, Mounjaro savings card, Ozempic savings card |
| Medicare | Your Part D plan's rules come first → what GLP-1 Medicare covers for diabetes |
| Medicaid | Your state program's rules come first → does Medicaid cover Ozempic? |
| Uninsured or paying cash | Ask your clinician or pharmacist for the full cash price of an approved option and whether a manufacturer assistance program fits. Check each program's rules; a commercial-insurance savings card isn't the same as uninsured assistance. |
| Prefer a pill | Ask about approved oral options → best GLP-1 pill for diabetes |
If you've sorted out what you want to ask but aren't sure which path — insurance, cash, shot, or pill — fits your situation, the tool lines up the options in about two minutes.
Compare GLP-1 paths for your situation
How we checked
We read the full TRANSCEND-T2D-1 and TRIUMPH-2 papers in The Lancet, Lilly's results releases and medical-information pages for both diabetes trials, the FDA's current statement on unapproved GLP-1 drugs, Lilly's expanded-access terms, the trial registry records, and the FDA-approved labels for Mounjaro and Ozempic. We also checked FDA's October 2 classification letter and Lilly's October 8 court filing. Both retatrutide trials were funded by Lilly; checking their reports isn't the same as an independent re-analysis.
The RX Index is the independent GLP-1 decision resource that scores telehealth providers and treatment paths on clinical legitimacy, care quality, transparency, access, and cost, so readers can choose the path that fits their situation.
What we actually verified (checked October 24, 2026)
- FDA status and compounding: FDA's page on unapproved GLP-1 drugs, content current as of October 1, 2026.
- Trial results: TRANSCEND-T2D-1 and TRIUMPH-2 full papers (The Lancet, published online June 6 and September 29, 2026); Lilly releases of March 19 and September 29, 2026; Lilly Medical's TRIUMPH-2 summary (last reviewed September 22, 2026).
- Comparison numbers: Mounjaro prescribing information (revised 8/2026) and Ozempic prescribing information (revised 05/2026). Pound figures are our conversion from kilograms.
- Access: Lilly Medical's expanded-access page (last reviewed August 26, 2026) and registry record NCT07629401.
- Trial status: registry records NCT06260722 and NCT06297603, plus a search for Lilly announcements.
- Filing plan: FDA's October 2, 2026 classification letter and Lilly's October 8, 2026 supplemental brief. These document FDA's position and Lilly's dispute, not an approval decision.
- What we couldn't confirm: whether Lilly's 2027 filing will include a type 2 diabetes use; when TRANSCEND-T2D-2 and -3 will report; visit and test costs under expanded access; your personal response or eligibility.
- No physician reviewed this version. How we weigh evidence: our methodology.
Retatrutide and type 2 diabetes: FAQ
Is retatrutide available yet?
Not as a routine prescription. It isn't FDA-approved and cannot legally be compounded; authorized patient access is through a clinical trial or Lilly's narrow expanded-access program, which your doctor must request. Lilly plans to apply for approval in the first quarter of 2027.
Does retatrutide help with diabetes?
In trials, yes, on average. A1C fell about 1.4 to 2.0 points across doses and trials, and weight fell a lot more than on placebo. Those are averages from study volunteers, and retatrutide isn't available as a routine diabetes prescription.
Is retatrutide for diabetes or weight loss?
Lilly is studying it for both, plus kidney, heart, liver, joint, and sleep-apnea uses. It isn't approved for any of them. Lilly's planned 2027 filing is described as built on its weight-loss trials.
Can retatrutide be used for type 1 diabetes?
It hasn't been studied in type 1 in any trial we found, and type 1 was excluded from both diabetes trials. If you have type 1, talk with your endocrinologist before trying any GLP-1-type medicine.
Can retatrutide cause diabetes or raise blood sugar?
In the trials, it lowered blood sugar on average. High blood sugar was reported less often on retatrutide (4% to 8%) than on placebo (26%) in TRANSCEND-T2D-1. Long-term studies are still running, so rare or late effects aren't known yet.
Can retatrutide reverse type 2 diabetes?
Not shown. In TRANSCEND-T2D-1, 35% to 40% assigned to retatrutide reached a normal-range A1C by week 40 in the treatment-regimen analysis. Remission means staying under 6.5% for at least three months off diabetes medicine, and these results didn't establish that.
Will retatrutide work after Mounjaro stops helping my weight?
We found no published study answering that. The two phase 3 diabetes trials discussed here didn't test switching from Mounjaro or other GLP-1 medicines. A stall is a good reason to review your goals with your prescriber, but not a reason to switch based on headlines.
Can I take retatrutide with metformin?
Metformin was allowed in the published phase 2 study and TRIUMPH-2. TRANSCEND-T2D-2 is a separate comparison with semaglutide in people taking metformin, with or without an SGLT2 pill; its results haven't been reported. That doesn't make every combination safe. Don't combine anything unapproved on your own.
Will insurance cover retatrutide for diabetes?
There is no approved retail retatrutide product with routine prescription coverage or a retail price to quote. Lilly provides the expanded-access drug at no cost, but ask your plan and treating team about visits, tests, and other care costs. See does insurance cover retatrutide? for the distinction between drug access and care costs.
Can a doctor prescribe retatrutide off-label?
No. Off-label means using an approved medicine for a use outside its label. Retatrutide isn't approved for anything, so there's nothing to prescribe off-label — expanded access is a separate process for supervised treatment with an investigational drug.
Is there a retatrutide pill?
There is no FDA-approved retatrutide pill. The diabetes trials used a weekly shot. If you'd rather take a pill, ask about approved oral semaglutide options. More in retatrutide pills.
Should I wait for retatrutide instead of starting Mounjaro or Ozempic?
Waiting has a cost: high blood sugar keeps doing harm while you wait, and there's no approval date. Approved medicines have evidence for lowering A1C now; the separate trials don't establish that retatrutide would work better for you. Starting one today doesn't stop you from discussing retatrutide if it's approved later.
Sources
All checked October 24, 2026.
- Bajaj HS, et al. Efficacy and safety of retatrutide in people with type 2 diabetes (TRANSCEND-T2D-1)00967-0). The Lancet, published online June 6, 2026.
- Eli Lilly. TRANSCEND-T2D-1 topline results, March 19, 2026.
- Eli Lilly Medical. TRIUMPH-2 results, last reviewed September 22, 2026.
- Eli Lilly. TRIUMPH-2 detailed results and planned FDA submission, September 29, 2026.
- Eli Lilly Medical. Expanded access program for retatrutide, last reviewed August 26, 2026.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA's Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss, content current as of October 1, 2026.
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide) prescribing information, revised 8/2026.
- Ozempic (semaglutide) prescribing information, revised 05/2026.
- ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06354660 (TRANSCEND-T2D-1), NCT05929079 (TRIUMPH-2), NCT06260722 (TRANSCEND-T2D-2), NCT06297603 (TRANSCEND-T2D-3), NCT07629401 (expanded access).
- American Diabetes Association. International experts outline diabetes remission diagnosis criteria, August 30, 2021.
- Bellido V, et al. Retatrutide in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes (TRIUMPH-2)01861-1). The Lancet, published online September 29, 2026.
- Rosenstock J, et al. Retatrutide in people with type 2 diabetes: phase 2 trial. The Lancet, published online June 26, 2023.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retatrutide product-classification determination, letter dated October 2, 2026; filed October 8, 2026, pp. 1–2.
- Eli Lilly and Company. Supplemental brief in the retatrutide classification appeal, October 8, 2026, pp. 14–15.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Expanded Access: Information for Patients, including costs and coverage.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Understanding Unapproved Use of Approved Drugs, "Off Label".
- Rybelsus and Ozempic tablets (oral semaglutide) prescribing information, revised January 2026.