“There are no miracles: everyone who wants to lose weight must do their part”

He is one of eight Spanish doctors – the only one in Aragon – who participated as principal investigator in the trials of tirzepatide, the most powerful anti-diabetes and anti-obesity drug to date, which has just hit the pharmacies. How did the experiments go?

The clinical trial I was involved in, called Phase III, was studying a new molecule, not yet on the market, in patients with type 2 diabetes, which affects adults. The benefits of the drug at different doses and its safety were analyzed, and comparisons were made with other drugs. Its effect on diabetes was measured, but its high effectiveness in weight loss was surprising.

How much weight did your patients lose?

Over 52 weeks, they lost an average of 12.9 kilograms, 25% of their body weight; a very important average. And their diabetes control was significantly improved. There were no serious side effects. The trial lasted three years, and at the end, the patients had gained the weight back. They told me, what a shame! Alternatives on the market were less effective.

Does this cure excess weight?

Important help. I convince my patients that there is nothing miraculous. Any medical intervention should be complemented by healthy habits: a Mediterranean diet and regular exercise. The most useful is to walk 20-30 minutes a day. Anyone who wants to lose weight must do their part.

Are we eating too much?

The main thing is to eat in sufficient quantity and quality, but we live very well, we have everything in abundance, and our diet can be improved. There are no obese people in the suburbs of Bombay.

What does the new drug consist of?

It is a synthetic molecule similar to two gastrointestinal hormones: GLP-1 and GIP. It stimulates insulin secretion and reduces the production of glucagon, a hormone that increases glucose levels. It fights excess weight by delaying gastric emptying and acting on the hypothalamus, thereby reducing appetite.

How much did it cost to get it?

The first drug that could be considered a distant ancestor of tirzepatide was, 25 years ago, a chemical variant of a protein found in the saliva of the Gila monster, a venomous lizard found in the California desert. I had already conducted clinical trials with it. It was a completely new injection, but with significant side effects. From that root, everything developed to tirzepatide.

He has been conducting clinical research for more than three decades and says he is retiring. Are you happy with your work?

Of course. I have participated in 28 clinical trials, most of them in diabetes. Some of the molecules I experimented with were not commercialized because they did not live up to expectations. Having made an important step in the fight against obesity, a disease that is very misunderstood and stigmatized, makes me feel good professionally.

He combined his experiments with his work as an endocrinologist for 35 years at the Obispo Polanco hospital in Teruel, and now at the Galileo Polyclinic. Is this proof that it is possible to conduct research in a small town?

I have always defended it. In today’s world, so interconnected, you can do whatever you want. I admit that resources are more limited in human and material means, but the rigor in work is the same.

And besides, you have a large family, six children, an unusual number now. Where did you find the time to take care of your personal and professional needs?

I got organized, but I had to give up mountaineering, skiing and tennis – my hobbies. I had very few free weekends. However, I must say that I am very happy with my job and my family. I get great satisfaction from seeing my children grow up, who are now professionals in a society that needs young people.

He was born in the town of Angues in Huesca and must have missed the high Pyrenees mountains of Teruel.

More than the mountains, I missed time for hiking. I always had a lot of work.

He spent his entire professional career in Teruel. Do you think you’ve missed out on something by not living in a big city?

No way. I am very proud to have been born in my city of Huesca and to have worked in Teruel, where I was treated very well and was able to develop fully professionally. I saw from the beginning that endocrinology had a great future, and I was right.

Would you recommend medical specialists to come to work in Teruel?

I have always said that young doctors who do not choose Teruel are making a mistake. It is a city where you can develop your profession in an extraordinary way and have many advantages for family life, because everything is close by.