1. The unmet need
Youth-onset type 2 diabetes has limited treatment options and is often harder to control than adult-onset disease.
10 to <18 y
Age range studied in adolescents with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes
2. Trial at a glance
Trial
SURPASS-PEDS
Design
Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Population
Adolescents aged 10 to <18 years with inadequately controlled T2D
Randomized
99 participants
Arms
Tirzepatide 5 mg, tirzepatide 10 mg, or placebo
Primary timepoint
30 weeks; benefits sustained to 1 year
3. Central finding: HbA1c change at week 30
Tirzepatide vs placebo
−2.28 pp
Estimated treatment difference in HbA1c at 30 weeks
p<0.0001
Placebo: +0.05 pp
What changed by week 30
Glycaemic efficacy
−2.23 pp
HbA1c change with tirzepatide
+0.05 pp
HbA1c change with placebo
BMI reduction
−11.2%
BMI change with tirzepatide 10 mg
−7.4%
5 mg
−0.4%
Placebo
Safety signal
0 deaths
Most common adverse events were gastrointestinal, mild to moderate, and decreased over time.
2
Participants in the 5 mg group discontinued due to adverse events
BMI change by treatment arm
Numbers to know
99
Randomized participants
8.04%
Mean baseline HbA1c
−2.28 pp
Estimated treatment difference in HbA1c
p<0.0001
Statistical significance for HbA1c difference
−11.2%
BMI reduction with tirzepatide 10 mg
0
Deaths reported
4. What it means
Clinical interpretation
Tirzepatide may become an important new treatment option for children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes, a population with few effective therapies.
Context box
The trial was funded by Eli Lilly and Company. Several authors were company employees/shareholders. Gastrointestinal adverse events were common, and longer-term pediatric safety monitoring remains important.
Tirzepatide showed strong glycaemic and weight-related benefits in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes, offering a promising option for a population with few effective therapies.