Sept 25 (Reuters) - Eli Lilly ( LLY ) has halted a study

of an experimental drug, which is designed to prevent obesity

patients from losing too much muscle, due to strategic business

reasons, according to a U.S. registry of clinical trials.

The drugmaker was testing the drug, bimagrumab, alone or

in combination with Lilly's tirzepatide, the active ingredient

in its blockbuster obesity treatment, Zepbound.

Lilly was aiming to see how well and safely bimagrumab,

tirzepatide, and the combination, work in lowering body weight

in participants with obesity or overweight and type 2 diabetes.

The drugmaker did not immediately respond to a Reuters

request for comment.

Bloomberg News reported the development earlier in the

day.

(Reporting by Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi

Majumdar and Anil D'Silva)