In the midst of the war on obesity, a battle between two weight loss vaccines has emerged as a clear winner. Zapbound (tirzepetide), manufactured by a Fortune 500 firm Eli Lilly and CompanyThe best competitor is Vegovi (semaglutide), a product of a Global 500 company Novo NordiskIn a recent Randomized clinical trial Supported by Lily.
After injecting the drugs weekly for about 17 months, the patients who took Zapbound On average lost 20.2% of their body weight (50.3 pounds), while Wegowi Patients lost 13.7% (33.1 pounds), Lilly announced on Dec. 4. News release. In addition, ZapBound produced 47% more relative weight loss than its rival, and 31.6% of ZapBound patients lost at least 25% of their body weight, compared to 16.1% of VeGovi users.
“Given the increased interest around Obesity drugsWe conducted this study to help healthcare providers and patients make informed decisions about treatment options, Dr. Leonard GlassSenior Vice President of Global Medical Affairs at Lily cardiometabolic healthsaid in the news release. “Zepbound is in a class of its own as the only FDA-approved dual GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist obesity drug, and is changing how Millions of people Manage this chronic disease“
The trial involved 751 US adults aged 18 and older who were either obese, or overweight with at least one of the following medical conditions: heart disease, High blood pressure, High cholesterolor Obstructive sleep apnea. They received the maximum tolerated dose of Zapbound (10 mg or 15 mg) or Vegovi (1.7 mg or 2.4 mg) for 72 weeks. (None of the participants had diabetes; Lilly marketed as tirzepetide beware for people with type 2 diabetes, while Novo Nordisk does the same for semaglutide ozempic.)
The results have not yet been peer-reviewed, however, Lilly indicated that they will be published in a peer-reviewed journal in 2025 and presented at an unscheduled medical meeting.
Lilly sponsored the clinical trial, the goal of which, the company said, was to “demonstrate the superiority of ZapBound in percent change from baseline in body weight over 72 weeks compared to Vegovi.” It should not necessarily raise the eyebrows, says Dr. W. Scott BootsDirector of Obesity Medicine Cleveland Clinic’s Bariatric and Metabolic Institute.
“We should always look at the funding source as a possible bias of the study,” Butsch explains destiny by email. “But this study was well designed, and we should trust the data.”
It’s not uncommon for pharmaceutical companies to lead such research, he says Dr. Nisha PatelMedical Director of the Obesity Medicine and Metabolic Health Program within the Department of Transplantation California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.
“These trials are usually done with a lot of scientific rigor,” Patel explains destiny by email.
What’s more, the trial’s results are similar to a study published earlier this year in the journal — not funded by Lilly. JAMA Internal Medicine, Dr. Holly LoftonDirector of NYU Langone Health Weight Management Programpoints to destiny. That research showed that 42.3% of people taking tirzepetide, the generic name for Zepbound, lost at least 15% of their body weight within a year, compared with 18.1% of people taking semaglutide, the generic name for Vegovi.
Should I take Zapbound instead of Vegovi?
Both Zepbound and Wegovy are prescription drugs, so you should consult your healthcare provider if you have concerns about taking one over the other. “It’s still important to understand that we have,” says Patel Multiple therapy options to treat obesity.” Your doctor can help you determine which may be right for you. Weight loss goals and medical history.
And while the results of Lilly’s trial are promising, they shouldn’t be your only consideration in requesting a weight-loss drug, Lofton says.
“Both drugs have demonstrated significant weight loss of more than 10%, which may improve or improve many. Medical conditions related to weightLofton explains destiny by email. “Physicians and patients should consider a drug’s safety, effectiveness and accessibility when deciding which drug is best for a patient.”
Butsch echoes, “From a patient perspective, I don’t think these study results will change public demand for tirzepetide, nor will it result in switching drugs. It reinforces that there are currently two very effective drugs, but Many factors—cost, coverage, etc.—are barriers to adequate access.
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