According to a research comparing two popular weight-loss medications, users of Zepbound from Eli Lilly dropped somewhat more than 2 inches off their waist than those who took Wegovy, a competitor product from Novo Nordisk.
According to findings presented at the European Congress on Obesity and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, individuals utilizing Zepbound experienced an average weight-loss decrease of 20.2% at 72 weeks, compared to 13.7% with Novo Nordisk’s own medication, according to Eli Lilly.
In December, Eli Lilly revealed the preliminary results of the trial.
According to Eli Lilly, Zebound achieved its primary target and five important secondary endpoints at the 72-week stage. The average weight loss for those using the medication was 50.3 pounds, compared to 33.1 pounds for those taking Wegovy.
Compared to 40.1% of those on Wegovy, 64.6% of those on Zepbound experienced a 15% reduction in weight in secondary endpoints. Additionally, Zepbound individuals experienced an average waist reduction of 7.2 inches (18.4 cm), whereas Wegovy participants experienced a waist reduction of 5.1 inches (13.0 cm).
“Head-to-head results demonstrated tirzepatide [Zepbound] led to greater weight reduction compared with semaglutide, providing further evidence to support tirzepatide [Wegovy] as an effective option for obesity management,” stated Louis J. Aronne, the study’s main investigator and a physician at the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Following a similar decline in local shares, the Danish company’s (DK:NOVO.B) (NVO) shares tumbled more than 4% in premarket trade.
Novo Nordisk has been contacted by MarketWatch for comment.
However, the news that President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Monday to decrease prescription drug prices overshadowed Eli Lilly’s (LLY) statement, which prevented the company’s shares from gaining much traction.
Against the backdrop of an equities market poised to rise following the U.S. and China’s announcement that they would be reducing tariffs on each other for 90 days, shares of Eli Lilly and other pharmaceutical companies declined overall.
