Experimental GLP-1 drug demonstrates pain relief in people with osteoarthritis during trials

According to statistics, osteoarthritis affects roughly 22% to 39% of the population in India, making it the most common joint disease and the second most common rheumatologic problem in the country. Image used for representational purposes only | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers in the U.S., Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, showed that treatment with the drug retatrutide, may be useful for the treatment of painful knee arthritis in people with obesity. In two phase 3 trials, adults without diabetes who had painful knee osteoarthritis and a body mass index (BMI) of at least 27 were randomly assigned to receive once-weekly subcutaneous retatrutide. Published - November 13, 2026 12:30 pm IST