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Eli Lilly’s groundbreaking drug Zepbound (tirzepatide) is on track to take the lead in the global obesity market, outpacing Novo Nordisk’s popular Wegovy (semaglutide), according to a recent report from GlobalData, a prominent data and analytics firm.
Launched a year ago, Zepbound has quickly emerged as a formidable competitor to Wegovy, bolstered by its superior efficacy and strategic efforts to broaden its applications. Costanza Alciati, a pharma analyst at GlobalData, noted that Eli Lilly has adopted a strategy similar to Novo Nordisk’s, exploring multiple indications to expand the patient base.
The competition between the two pharmaceutical giants intensified after the release of results from Eli Lilly’s SURMOUNT-5 trial, which directly compared the efficacy of Zepbound and Wegovy. The findings highlighted Zepbound’s superior performance, with patients achieving an average weight loss of 20.2% of their body weight, compared to 13.7% with Wegovy.
Adding to its momentum, Zepbound received U.S. FDA approval on December 20, 2024, for treating obstructive sleep apnea. Tirzepatide is also being investigated for several other conditions, including cardiovascular risk factors, chronic kidney disease, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
The obesity drug market is highly competitive, with more than 400 companies actively developing treatments, according to GlobalData. However, Zepbound’s efficacy and potential cost advantages may position it as the market leader.
“While Wegovy has been revolutionary, Zepbound is proving to be even more potent,” Alciati remarked. “Negotiations with national health services could make Zepbound more cost-effective, further solidifying its dominance in the obesity market.”
The report emphasizes that the rivalry between Zepbound and Wegovy marks a new chapter in the fight against obesity, with both drugs driving innovation and transforming treatment options for millions of patients worldwide.
