“Which Weight-Loss Drug Works the Best?”
As extra medical doctors and sufferers flip to the most recent weight-loss medicine, researchers try to determine which drug is true for which affected person—and at what level of their weight-loss journey.
Key to creating these selections is how efficient the medicine are and which unwanted side effects folks may expertise whereas taking them.
A brand new study printed within the New England Journal of Medication and introduced on the European Congress on Weight problems offers a few of these solutions. Researchers report on a head-to-head trial evaluating Wegovy (semaglutide), made by Novo Nordisk, to Zepbound (tirzepatide), made by Eil Lilly. The preliminary findings had been launched in Dec. by Eli Lilly, who funded the research. The present report consists of extra particulars on how the 2 medicine affected waist circumference and different measures, in addition to their unwanted side effects.
Among the many 751 folks randomly assigned to obtain weekly injections of both the utmost dose of Wegovy or the utmost dose of Zepbound for a 12 months and three months, these taking Zepbound misplaced extra of their preliminary physique weight—20.2%—than these taking Wegovy, who misplaced 13.7%. The Zepbound group misplaced about 18.4 cm of their waist circumference, in comparison with 13.0 cm amongst these taking Wegovy.
The medicines had comparable unwanted side effects, primarily referring to gastrointestinal signs together with nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting. Nevertheless, these taking Zepbound reported extra injection-site reactions than folks getting Wegovy. These tended to develop into much less frequent with further weekly injections.
Learn Extra: How a New Weight-Loss Tablet May Rework Well being
“The idea here is that we didn’t have options before—or we had very bad options—and now we have better and better therapies, and they are different,” says Dr. Leonard Glass, senior vp of worldwide medical affairs for Lilly’s cardiometabolic well being enterprise, and one of many co-authors of the research.
Whereas the first goal for these treatment is weight reduction, it’s not the one metric by which the medicine needs to be evaluated and prescribed. Glass factors out that weight problems is a fancy situation, and folks with weight problems usually produce other well being points as nicely, associated to the center, kidney, and liver. “It’s not just about weight,” he says.
Dr. Jason Brett, principal U.S. medical head for Novo Nordisk, which makes Wegovy, agrees that weight shouldn’t be the one consequence that medical doctors and sufferers ought to think about when evaluating the 2 medicines. He notes that Wegovy—not like its competitor—is permitted by the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration to scale back the danger of coronary heart assault, stroke, and coronary heart illness in folks with a historical past of coronary heart issues who’re obese or overweight. “When I think about what makes semaglutide and Wegovy unique, it’s the breadth and depth of data behind it,” he says. “We’re talking about going beyond weight loss alone to some of these other health outcomes.”
Zepbound does not include a heart-disease indication, but studies have shown that Zepbound, as well as Wegovy, can reduce the risk of heart failure in some patients with the condition. Studies are also showing that the drugs can reduce the risk of liver and kidney symptoms as well. And Zepbound is approved to reduce the risk of obstructive sleep apnea in people with obesity.
The current findings should help doctors better understand which drug might be right for which patient. Additional studies that both companies are conducting—including those following people once they have reached their weight-loss goals—should also provide more data on how these drugs could help people maintain a healthy weight. Both Lilly and Novo Nordisk also plan to have oral versions of their injectable drugs available soon. Novo Nordisk announced it had requested FDA approval for its oral semaglutide in May, and Lilly expects to have results from its final trials in a few months; if those are positive, it plans to apply for approval soon after. Oral versions of these drugs could reach more people who might benefit from them, and the pills could also be considered part of maintenance therapy depending on their individual needs. “Right now, [those decisions] are based on physician experience, and sometimes not necessarily on the best evidence,” says Glass. “We are trying to provide that evidence so doctors and patients can better make those decisions.”
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