Mounjaro vs Wegovy: Which weight loss drug works best? New trial reveals the answer
US drugmaker Eli Lily, which manufactures the drug Mounjaro, announced the release of clinical trials on Monday, saying its drug delivered greater weight loss results compared to rival Wegovy, manufactured by Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk. The results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
As per the trials backed by Eli Lily, Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide, achieved an average weight reduction of 20.2% compared to 13.7% with Wegovy, or semaglutide, in a 72-week period. This makes for a 47% greater relative weight loss. Participants in the trial who were on tirzepatide lost an average of 22.8 kg compared to an average of 15 kg lost by those on semaglutide.
Also read | Why are experts concerned about the weight loss drug Mounjaro?
Both drugs cause weight loss by suppressing the appetite. The difference can be understood as that Mounjaro switches off two appetite switches in the brain compared to one by Wigovy. It means, when we eat, the gut releases satiety hormones GIP and GLP-1. While Wegovy stimulates the GLP-1 receptor only, Mounjaro mimics both hormones, making one feel full sooner and for longer.
Along with the higher weight loss seen in the case of Mounjaro, as per the trials, it also showed better results in secondary endpoints, such as waist circumference and higher weight loss thresholds.
Notably, 64.6% of participants treated with tirzepatide, or Mounjaro, achieved at least 15% weight loss compared to 40.1% on semaglutide, the results showed. Additionally, those on tirzepatide achieved an average waist circumference reduction of 18.4 cm compared to 13 cm in the case of semaglutide.
Ever since Ozempic, essentially an anti-diabetic drug, became a blockbuster weight loss hit, mainly due to celebrity endorsements, social media, and media coverage, especially in the West, companies have been competing to assert dominance in existing markets and capture newer ones. Notably, Eli Lily trumped Novo Dordisk as it launched Mounjaro earlier this year in India, a country with the biggest population and a sizeable number of people living with obesity.
“Obesity is a chronic disease that requires comprehensive management, and Eli Lily is committed to supporting people with obesity and enhancing the standard of care in obesity management in India,” said, Winselow Tucker, president, and general manager, Eli Lilly and Company (India), as per a press statement.
“The results from the SURMOUNT 5 trial provide robust evidence supporting Mounjaro (tirzepatide) as an effective option for obesity management in India," he added.
A quarter of Indian men and women are overweight or obese, as per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-21).
Notably, during the trial, 6.1% of participants on tirzepatide discontinued it due to adverse effects compared to 8% in the case of semaglutide, but that was not the point of the study.
Originally slated for a 2026 launch, Novo Nordisk is expected to bring its weight loss drug to India in 2025-end, as per media reports.
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