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Eli Lilly’s Zepbound Results in Higher Weight Loss vs. Novo Nordisk Drug in Head-to-Head Check


The battle for market share between the 2 leaders within the booming weight problems drug sector has a brand new knowledge level decidedly in favor of Eli Lilly. The Lilly drug Zepbound has topped Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy in a head-to-head medical trial.

In accordance with the preliminary Section 3b outcomes, remedy with Zepbound led to 47% larger relative weight reduction in comparison with Wegovy, Lilly introduced Wednesday. The pharmaceutical large stated extra particulars shall be printed and offered at a medical assembly subsequent yr. However these outcomes present proof {that a} drug that hits two metabolic targets results in larger discount in weight, which may give Lilly an edge because it seeks features in market share and insurance coverage protection of the blockbuster product.

Zepbound’s fundamental ingredient is a peptide engineered to bind to and activate two targets, the GLP-1 and GIP receptors. Against this, Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy targets solely the GLP-1 receptor. Each medication are administered as once-weekly injections.

The top-to-head check enrolled 751 folks within the U.S. and Puerto Rico with weight problems or obese in addition to sure related comorbidities, resembling hypertension and heart problems. Nevertheless, the research particularly excluded those that have kind 2 diabetes. Members had been randomly assigned to obtain Zepbound or Wegovy for 72 weeks. The principle purpose was to measure the p.c change in physique weight from baseline.

Members within the Zepbound cohort confirmed a median 20.2% loss in physique weight, Lilly stated. That interprets to a median 22.8 kg (50.3 kilos) of weight shed. By comparability, those that obtained Wegovy misplaced a median 13.7% of their weight, or 15 kg (33.1 kilos). On a key secondary endpoint, Lilly stated 31.6% of individuals receiving Zepbound achieved not less than 25% physique weight reduction. Within the Wegovy arm, 16.1% of individuals achieved that mark.

“Given the elevated curiosity round weight problems drugs, we carried out this research to assist well being care suppliers and sufferers make knowledgeable choices about remedy alternative,” Leonard Glass, senior vice chairman of worldwide medical affairs at Lilly Cardiometabolic Well being, stated in a ready assertion.

Lilly stated the general security profile of Zepbound within the head-to-head research was much like earlier exams of its drug. This whole class of medicine that mimic intestine hormones comes with gastrointestinal negative effects that lead some sufferers to discontinue remedy. The Section 3 medical trial outcomes that supported Zepbound’s FDA approval final yr confirmed negative effects resembling nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Lilly stated Wednesday that essentially the most commonly-reported opposed occasions in Zepbound’s Section 3 program had been gastrointestinal and had been categorized as gentle to reasonable in severity.

Zepbound has quick change into one in every of Lilly’s prime merchandise. Within the 9 months ended Sept. 30, Lilly reported greater than $3 billion in Zepbound gross sales. The most recent medical trial outcomes ought to assist Zepbound achieve market share over Wegovy, Leerink Companions analyst David Risinger stated in a Wednesday word despatched to buyers. However he identified that Lilly didn’t disclose a comparability of the tolerability of those drugs, which might be one other level of differentiation past the magnitude of weight reduction. A cross-trial comparability of historic knowledge from unbiased Section 3 exams of every medicine confirmed higher tolerability for Zepbound in comparison with Wegovy, with the Novo Nordisk product posting greater charges of nausea and vomiting, Risinger stated. He added that he’s trying ahead to the publication and presentation of the head-to-head knowledge in 2025 for extra particulars on this comparability.

There are different firms growing weight reduction medication that concentrate on each GLP-1 and GIP. Viking Therapeutics has reached Section 3 testing with VK2735, a once-weekly injectable medicine designed to activate each the GLP-1 and GIP receptors. Viking may stand aside from the sector with an oral model, which final month posted encouraging Section 1 knowledge.

Amgen can be going after each GLP-1 and GIP with a drug known as MariTide. However one key distinction with Amgen’s drug is that reasonably than activating the GIP receptor, the peptide antibody conjugate blocks this goal. Final week, Amgen reported preliminary Section 2 outcomes displaying MariTide achieved weight reduction similar to Lilly’s Zepbound. Amgen goals to distinguish with once-monthly and even much less frequent dosing.

Lilly isn’t settling for simply two targets. It’s R&D efforts embody retatrutide, a peptide engineered to hit GLP-1, GIP, and a 3rd goal — the glucagon receptor. Final yr, Lilly reported Section 2 outcomes displaying this triple mechanism achieved larger weight discount than GLP-1 and GIP activation. Outcomes had been printed within the New England Journal of Medication. Retatrutide’s late-stage medical growth contains exams underway in weight problems and sort 2 diabetes.

Photograph by Eli Lilly

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