New clinical trial results show Eli Lilly’s Zepbound (tirzepatide) resulted in more weight loss than Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide) in obese or overweight adults with medical conditions related to weight, but excluding diabetes.
The results are based on the SURMOUNT-5 Phase 3b open-label clinical trial, in which the two incretin-based drugs were directly compared over a 72-week duration. The findings, reported by Eli Lilly, place Zepbound well in the market for anti-obesity drugs.
Key Efficacy Findings
Based on the trial results, patients treated with Zepbound lost significantly more weight than those receiving Wegovy:
- Average Weight Loss: Zepbound users recorded an average weight loss of 20.2%, while Wegovy users recorded 13.7%.
- Absolute Weight Loss: This equated to a mean absolute weight loss of 50.3 pounds (22.8 kg) for the Zepbound group, compared with 33.1 pounds (15.0 kg) for the Wegovy group.
- Statistically Significant Weight Loss Achievement: A significantly larger proportion of Zepbound participants (64.6%) achieved at least 15.0% total body weight loss compared to 40.1% of Wegovy participants.
- Waist Circumference Decrease: Zepbound also resulted in a larger average decrease in waist circumference, an important marker of visceral fat, of 7.2 inches (18.4 cm) versus 5.1 inches (13.0 cm) for Wegovy.
Safety and Tolerability
The safety profile of Zepbound from the SURMOUNT-5 trial was said to be in keeping with its prior clinical trials. The majority of adverse events were gastrointestinal in nature and most were said to be mild to moderate in intensity.
Treatment discontinuation because of adverse events was 6.1% in participants receiving Zepbound and 8.0% in those receiving Wegovy. Yet, said Eli Lilly, the SURMOUNT-5 study was not planned for direct comparison of the safety and tolerability profiles of the two drugs.
In the SURMOUNT-5 trial, Zepbound demonstrated a significantly higher magnitude of weight reduction compared to Wegovy across all comparisons,
These data confirm Zepbound as a leading treatment option for people living with obesity and equip healthcare providers with critical insights to make well-informed treatment decisions as part of a comprehensive obesity care plan.
Leonard Glass
SURMOUNT-5 Phase 3b Clinical Trial
SURMOUNT-5 (NCT05822830) was a randomized, open-label, 72-week multi-center Phase 3b trial that assessed the safety and efficacy of Zepbound (tirzepatide) vs Wegovy (semaglutide) in non-diabetic adults with obesity, or overweight with at least one of the following comorbid conditions: cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or dyslipidemia, hypertension, who were not diabetic. Both patient treatment groups were instructed on increased physical activity and a reduced-calorie diet. The trial randomized 751 patients in Puerto Rico and U.S. 1:1 to receive the maximum dose tolerated of Zepbound (15 mg or 10 mg) or Wegovy (2.4 mg or 1.7 mg). With tirzepatide, 89.3% had at least one dose of 15 mg dose and with semaglutide 92.8% had at least one dose of 2.4 mg dose. The primary purpose of the study was to show the superiority of Zepbound over Wegovy in percent change from baseline in body weight at 72 weeks.
Zepbound (tirzepatide)
Tirzepatide is a once-weekly dual GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) receptor and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist. Tirzepatide is a single compound that stimulates the body’s GIP and GLP-1 receptors, which are endogenous incretin hormones. GIP and GLP-1 receptors both exist in regions of the human brain responsible for appetite. Tirzepatide lowers calorie consumption, and the effect is likely to be mediated through the influence on appetite. Tirzepatide is being researched in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and in morbidity/mortality in obesity (MMO).
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Graduated from the University of Kerala with B.Sc. Botany and Biotechnology. Attained Post-Graduation in Biotechnology from the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Science (KUFOS) with the third rank. Conducted various seminars and attended major Science conferences. Done 6 months of internship in ICMR – National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad. 5 years of tutoring experience.
