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

In response to preliminary Part 3b outcomes, remedy with Zepbound led to 47% higher relative weight reduction in comparison with Wegovy, Lilly introduced Wednesday. The pharmaceutical big mentioned extra particulars will likely be printed and introduced at a medical assembly subsequent yr. However these outcomes present proof {that a} drug that hits two metabolic targets results in higher weight reduction, which may give Lilly an edge because it pursues good points in market share and insurance coverage protection from the blockbuster product.

Zepbound's key ingredient is a peptide designed to bind to and activate two targets, the GLP-1 and GIP receptors. Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, however, solely targets the GLP-1 receptor. Each medicines are given as injections as soon as per week.

The pinnacle-to-head check included 751 folks within the US and Puerto Rico who have been overweight or obese, in addition to sure related comorbidities, comparable to hypertension and heart problems. Nevertheless, the examine particularly excluded those that have sort 2 diabetes. Individuals have been randomly assigned to obtain Zepbound or Wegovy for 72 weeks. The primary goal was to measure the p.c change in physique weight from baseline.

Individuals within the Zepbound cohort confirmed a mean weight lack of 20.2%, Lilly mentioned. That interprets to a mean weight lack of 22.8 kg (50.3 kilos). By comparability, these given Wegovy misplaced a mean of 13.7% of their weight, or 15 kg (33.1 kilos). In a key secondary endpoint, Lilly mentioned 31.6% of members who obtained Zepbound achieved a weight lack of at the very least 25%. Within the Wegovy department, 16.1% of members achieved this determine.

“Given the elevated curiosity in weight problems drugs, we carried out this examine to assist healthcare suppliers and sufferers make knowledgeable choices about remedy selections,” mentioned Leonard Glass, senior vp of worldwide medical affairs at Lilly Cardiometabolic Well being, in a ready declaration.

Lilly mentioned Zepbound's total security profile within the head-to-head examine was just like earlier testing of the drug. This whole class of medication that mimic intestinal hormones has gastrointestinal negative effects that lead some sufferers to discontinue remedy. The Part 3 medical trial outcomes that supported the FDA's approval of Zepbound final yr confirmed negative effects comparable to nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Lilly mentioned Wednesday that probably the most generally reported negative effects in Zepbound's Part 3 program have been gastrointestinal and labeled as delicate to average in severity.

Zepbound has rapidly develop into considered one of Lilly's high merchandise. Within the 9 months ended September 30, Lilly reported greater than $3 billion in Zepbound gross sales. The most recent medical trial outcomes ought to assist Zepbound acquire market share in opposition to Wegovy, Leerink Companions analyst David Risinger mentioned in a Wednesday be aware to buyers. However he identified that Lilly didn’t examine the tolerability of those medicine, which might be some extent of differentiation aside from the magnitude of weight reduction. A cross-trial comparability of historic information from unbiased Part 3 testing of every drug confirmed higher tolerability for Zepbound in comparison with Wegovy, with the Novo Nordisk product exhibiting larger charges of nausea and vomiting, Risinger mentioned. He added that he appears to be like ahead to the publication and presentation of head-to-head information in 2025 for extra particulars on this comparability.

There are different corporations creating weight reduction medicine that focus on each GLP-1 and GIP. Viking Therapeutics has reached Part 3 testing of VK2735, a weekly injectable drug designed to activate each the GLP-1 and GIP receptors. Viking was capable of stand out from the sector with an oral model, publishing encouraging Part 1 information final month.

Amgen can be going after each GLP-1 and GIP with a drug known as MariTide. However a key distinction from Amgen's drug is that the peptide-antibody conjugate blocks this goal as an alternative of activating the GIP receptor. Final week, Amgen reported preliminary Part 2 outcomes exhibiting that MariTide achieved weight reduction corresponding to Lilly's Zepbound. Amgen goals to distinguish with month-to-month and even much less frequent dosing.

Lilly isn't glad with simply two objectives. The R&D efforts embrace retatrutide, a peptide designed to hit GLP-1, GIP and a 3rd goal: the glucagon receptor. Final yr, Lilly reported Part 2 outcomes exhibiting that this triple mechanism achieved higher weight discount than GLP-1 and GIP activation. The outcomes have been printed within the New England Journal of Drugs. Retatrutide's late-stage medical improvement consists of trials in weight problems and kind 2 diabetes.

Picture by Eli Lilly