REUTERS/Mike Segar Acquire Licensing RightsDec 1 (Reuters) - Some leading U.S. obesity specialists say they expect Eli Lilly’s (LLY.N) powerful weight-loss drug Zepbound will produce the same or similar heart benefits as Novo Nordisk’s (NOVOb.CO) popular Wegovy as they belong to the same class of medicines.
In Novo's pivotal Wegovy trial involving 17,604 overweight and obese people without diabetes, the drug reduced incidence of heart attack, stroke or heart-related death by an impressive 20%.
The product, which has the same active ingredient - tirzepatide - as its previously approved diabetes drug Mounjaro, is expected to start shipping it before the end of the year.
They said they would readily prescribe Wegovy (semaglutide) if their patients' insurance did not cover Lilly’s drug, or if future trial results do not produce similar heart benefits.
Lilly declined to comment on doctors' views that Zepbound might have the same or similar cardiovascular benefits as Wegovy.
Persons:
Eli Lilly, Mike Segar, Eli Lilly’s, Lilly, Danish drugmaker, Edmond Wickham, Emily, Zepbound, Tirzepatide, ”, Rohit Kedia, Novo, Chad Weldy, semaglutide, tirzepatide, Farxiga, Boehringer Ingelheim, Lilly’s Jardiance, Patrick Wingrove, Caroline Humer, Bill Berkrot
Organizations:
Company, REUTERS, Novo, Wegovy, Virginia Commonwealth University . The, Virginia Commonwealth University . The U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Wall Street, Barclays, Providence, Stanford University, Thomson
Locations:
Branchburg , New Jersey, Danish, Virginia Commonwealth University . The U.S, Zepbound, U.S