Boxes with injectable vials of Zepbound and Wegovy weakening drugs, photo: Jonel Aleccia / AP / Profimedia Images
American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly said on Sunday that his medicine Zepbound was superior to weakening wegovy treatment of Danish Novo Nordisk in five weight loss goals, according to a direct comparative study, reports Reuters.
The data comes from the first direct comparative study between these extremely popular drugs and provides Lilly an additional advantage in its efforts to get a wider coverage from insurers in a market of estimated anti-Obity drugs to exceed $ 150 billion annually until the next decade.
Lilly said on Sunday that Zepbound has helped almost 25% more study participants lose over 15% of body weight compared to Wegovy.
The study also showed that Zepbound treatment led to an average upper reduction in waist circumference, 18.4 centimeters (CM), while those treated with Wegovy had an average reduction of 13 cm.
Novo Nordisk insists that Wegovy is better for weight loss
Novo Nordisk said on Monday, in a statement sent by e-mail to Reuters, that weight loss with Wegovy in direct comparative study was lower than in a 2021 study with a similar dose.
“Obesity means more than just a number on the scale,” said the Danish company, adding that Wegovy is the only drug in the class of digestion drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, approved to prevent major cardiovascular events such as heart attack.
The Danish producer of drugs, until recently the most valuable company in Europe, also said that this year's study with a higher dose of semaglutide, the active ingredient in its medicines Wegovy and Ozemmpic, showed a greater weight loss.
Lilly reported in December that her medicine against obesity had already met the main goal, leading to a weight loss 47% higher than those who received Wegovy. The full study data were published by the company in a press release and presented at the European Congress on obesity.
The results of the direct comparative study come just a few days after the decision of the American Medical Assistance Company CVS Health to eliminate Zepbound from some lists of drugs eligible for reimbursement, preferring Wegovy.
While Lilly's drug mimics the action of two intestinal hormones to help reduce weight, Wegovy has a single mechanism of action.
US approval for Zepbound and Wegovy relied on separate studies, in which Lilly's drug helped patients lose over 22% of body weight after 72 weeks, while Wegovy led to a loss of 15% after 68 weeks.
