Eli Lilly's Zepbound Positioned to Lead the Global Obesity Sector: Report
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New Delhi, Dec 31 (NationPress) Eli Lilly's Zepbound drug is poised to dominate the global obesity sector, thanks to its superior efficacy and strategic market expansion, as indicated by a report released on Tuesday.
The drug is anticipated to surpass Novo Nordisk's Wegovy (semaglutide) in the obesity marketplace, according to GlobalData, a prominent data and analytics firm.
Since its launch a year ago, Zepbound (tirzepatide) has been in direct competition with Novo Nordisk.
“From the outset, Zepbound has been positioned as the key new challenger to Wegovy, and it appears that Eli Lilly has mirrored some aspects of Novo Nordisk’s strategy by exploring the drug’s use across various indications,” stated Costanza Alciati, a pharmaceutical analyst at GlobalData.
Recently, Eli Lilly shared findings from the SURMOUNT-5 trial, which directly compared the efficacy of Zepbound and Wegovy.
As anticipated, Zepbound demonstrated greater effectiveness in facilitating weight loss. While Wegovy resulted in an average weight reduction of 13.7 percent of body weight, Zepbound achieved approximately 20.2 percent body weight loss among patients.
On December 20, 2024, tirzepatide also gained US FDA approval for treating obstructive sleep apnea.
Tirzepatide is currently undergoing investigation for four additional indications, including cardiovascular risk factors, chronic kidney disease, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
“Indeed, semaglutide has approvals for type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular risk factors, and it is under development for four more indications, including chronic kidney disease,” the report noted.
According to the GlobalData drugs database, over 400 companies are actively working on obesity treatments, ranging from discovery to pre-registration stages.
The influence of Wegovy on the obesity market has been substantial. Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) interviewed by GlobalData described it as “revolutionary.”
With Zepbound, this revolution is set to continue; Eli Lilly’s drug is more potent, and negotiations with national health services may also render it more cost-effective than Wegovy, Alciati added. “Therefore, Zepbound is expected to lead the obesity market if it hasn't already,” she concluded.
