Zepbound brings more weight loss than Wegovy: Drugmaker

Adults who take Zepbound lose more weight than those who take competitor weight loss drug Wegovy, according to new clinical trial results.

Zepound manufacturer Eli Lilly released results from their SURMOUNT-5 phase clinical trial on Wednesday which is the first time both GLP1s have been compared side-by-side.  

Both drugs mimic the GLP-1 hormone to help curb appetite and reduce eating. But tirzepatide, the active drug in Zepbound, also mimics another hormone, called GIP, that may further regulate food intake.  

The results from the trial show Zepbound results in 47 percent more weight loss among adult users compared to those taking Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy.  

Adults using Zepbound weekly lost about 20 percent of their weight after a year and a half of continued use of the drug. Meanwhile, adults using Wegovy, the brand name for semaglutide, lost about 14 percent of their body weight on average during that same period, according to a release from Eli Lilly.  

That translates to Zepbound users losing about 50 pounds after using the drug for a year half and Wegovy users losing about 33 pounds.  

Adults taking Zepbound were also more likely to reach weight loss targets compared to those using Wegovy.  

About 32 percent of people taking Zepbound lost at least 25 percent of their body weight while about 16 percent of people using Wegovy reached that same target, according to the release.  

"Given the increased interest around obesity medications, we conducted this study to help health care providers and patients make informed decisions about treatment choice," said Leonard C. Glass, senior vice president of global medical affairs at Lilly Cardiometabolic Health.  

"Zepbound is in a class of its own as the only FDA-approved dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist obesity medication, and it's changing how millions of people manage this chronic disease." 

The findings of the clinical trial are expected to be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at a medical meeting in 2025, according to Lilly.  

In an email to The Hill, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson stressed Wegovy’s connection to reducing cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke in people with heart disease or obesity.  

“People living with obesity deserve solutions and support, including access to FDA-approved options — never shame or blame,” a spokesperson wrote. “As a pioneer and leader in obesity care, we know that treating this misunderstood disease is more than just a number on a scale, and we strongly believe in the semaglutide molecule and the robust data supporting its benefits.”