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Eli Lilly’s (LLY) and Novo Nordisk’s (NVO) weight loss drugs went head-to-head in a weight loss study for the first time — and Eli Lilly’s drug came out on top.
Participants who took Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide, which is sold as Zepbound, lost 50 pounds on average, while those using Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide, also known as Wegovy, lost an average of 33 pounds. The study was funded by Eli Lilly and published Sunday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The trial included 751 participants, all Americans who were considered overweight or obese and had at least one other weight-related health issue. They received weekly injections of the highest tolerated dose of either drug.
The participants who took Zepbound lost an average of about 20% of their body weight at the end of the 72-week trial, while those who took Wegovy lost about 14% of theirs. About 32% of people taking Zepbound lost at least a quarter of their body weight, compared to about 16% of those taking Wegovy.
“These data confirm Zepbound as a leading treatment option for people living with obesity and equip healthcare providers with critical insights to make well-informed treatment decisions as part of a comprehensive obesity care plan,” Leonard Glass, Eli Lilly’s senior vice president of global medical affairs, said in a statement.
Eli Lilly stock fell about 1% in Monday morning trading, after President Donald Trump signaled plans Sunday for an executive order aimed at lower prescription drug prices. Novo Nordisk stock was down about 0.4%.
Participants in both groups had improvements in health factors like blood pressure, blood fat, and blood sugar levels as they lost weight.
Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly had released top-line results of the study back in December, before they were peer-reviewed. This was the first time the study was published in full.
The rise of GLP-1 drugs, which mimic hormones that regulate blood sugar and suppress appetite, has been a major boost for Lilly and Denmark-based Novo Nordisk, making them the most valuable pharma companies in the world. A number of cheaper, compounded versions have also made it to market, though the FDA has begun cracking down on them since the drugs are no longer considered to be in shortage.
—William Gavin contributed to this article.