Eloralintide plus tirzepatide: what the EASD 2026 phase 2b data show

Medical Dialogues reported on 5 October 2026 that a phase 2b study presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2026 annual meeting in Milan found mean weight loss of up to 23.3% at 48 weeks with eloraTZP, an investigational Eli Lilly combination ^[1]. The combination pairs eloralintide with tirzepatide and was studied in 367 adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity or overweight ^[1]. The report also describes substantial improvements in blood sugar control ^[1].

What the two drugs target

Amylin is a hormone released from pancreatic beta cells, while GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) are gut hormones ^[1]. All three are released after eating, and each acts through its own receptor to help regulate hunger and blood sugar ^[1]. The report describes eloralintide as a selective amylin receptor agonist and tirzepatide as a dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist ^[1]. In the study, the two drugs were given as two separate pen injections ^[1].

The reported results

Participants started at an average weight of 105.4 kg ^[1]. The report states that all four dose combinations met their primary and secondary endpoints at 48 weeks, covering weight loss and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), a blood measure of blood sugar control ^[1]. The report gives figures for the lowest and highest dose combinations ^[1].

• Lowest combination (eloralintide 3 mg plus tirzepatide 5 mg): mean weight loss of 13.2% (13.9 kg), and a mean HbA1c reduction of 2.2% from an average baseline of 8.1% ^[1].
• Highest combination (eloralintide 9 mg plus tirzepatide 15 mg): mean weight loss of 23.3% (24.6 kg), and a mean HbA1c reduction of 2.9% ^[1].

The most common adverse events were gastrointestinal ^[1]. They were generally mild or moderate and occurred mainly during dose escalation, the period when doses are stepped up ^[1]. These events were more frequent in the combination arms than with eloralintide or tirzepatide given alone ^[1].

Why it matters to these readers

The report describes adults with both type 2 diabetes and excess weight as a population in which substantial, sustained weight loss has been difficult to achieve ^[1]. The lead author, Dr Liana K. Billings, framed the rationale this way: "Obesity and type 2 diabetes are interconnected, and we are seeing the potential benefit of targeting multiple hormonal pathways to address both" ^[1]. For adults considering medical weight loss, and for the clinicians who refer them, the report concerns a medication that remains investigational ^[1]. AthleticsMD offers ShredRx physician-guided medical weight loss and functional and preventive medicine in Columbia and Laurel/Fort Meade, Maryland ^{[AthleticsMD]}.

What to watch next

• Full data: the news report gives no confidence intervals, p-values or discontinuation rates, and no weight or HbA1c figures for the eloralintide-only or tirzepatide-only arms, so the added effect of combining them cannot be judged from this account ^[1].
• Tolerability: gastrointestinal events were more common with the combination, so fuller safety reporting will matter ^[1].
• Durability: results are reported at 48 weeks, and the report does not describe what happens after that point ^[1].
• Practicality: the regimen used two separate pen injections ^[1].

Limitations

This piece relies on a secondary news report of a conference presentation, not on a peer-reviewed full publication ^[1]. The report does not describe randomization, blinding or whether a placebo group was included, so the strength of the comparisons cannot be assessed from it ^[1]. The study enrolled only adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity or overweight, so the findings do not speak to people without diabetes ^[1].