Zepbound Expected to Surpass Wegovy in Weight Loss Market, New Report States

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For the past two years, Ozempic and Wegovy have dominated the conversation when it comes to weight-loss medications (WLMs). The two medications, developed and distributed by Novo Nordisk, have made GLP-1s a highly sought after option for people looking to lose weight. According to a new report, however, a competitor may be stealing the spotlight in 2025.

GlobaData issued a report stating that it expects Eli Lilly’s Zepbound to lead the obesity market in the coming year.¹ The research firm reached its conclusion based on a recent study that suggests that Zepbound may be more effective at promoting weight loss than Wegovy. The findings also took into consideration recent approvals by FDA for the use of Zephound with other conditions, such as sleep apnea.

In a press release, GlobalData pharma analyst Costanza Alciati said, “From the start, Zepbound emerged as the primary new competitor of Wegovy, and it seems that Eli Lilly has followed in some way Novo Nordisk’s strategy to increase patients’ population through investigating the drug in multiple indications.”

Alciati continued, “The impact of Wegovy on the obesity market has been huge. Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) interviewed by GlobalData defined it as ‘revolutionary.’ Now with Zepbound, the revolution continues, and Eli Lilly’s drug is more potent, and perhaps negotiations with national health services will also make it more cost-effective than Wegovy. So, Zepbound is expected to take the lead in the obesity market if it hasn’t already done so.”

Eli Lilly announced the results of its SURMOUNT-5 study back in December, which compared the impact of Zepbound on weight loss with that of Wegovy.¹ According to Lilly, the study showed that Zepbound resulted in an average weight loss of 20.2%, which was significantly higher than Wegovy’s average of 13.7%.

In a press release issued at the time, senior vice president of global medical affairs at Lilly Cardiometabolic Health Leonard C. Glass, MD, FACE, said, “Given the increased interest around obesity medications, we conducted this study to help health care providers and patients make informed decisions about treatment choice. We are thrilled that today's findings showed the superior weight loss of Zepbound, which helped patients achieve 47% more relative weight loss compared to Wegovy. Zepbound is in a class of its own as the only FDA-approved dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist obesity medication, and it's changing how millions of people manage this chronic disease."

Later in December, Eli Lilly announced that FDA approved Zepbound for the treatment of severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).³ This makes the medication the first prescription medication to be approved for the condition. According to its approval, the medication should be used alongside a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.

In a press release issued at the time, Eli Lilly executive vice president and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health and Lilly USA Patrik Jonsson said, “Today, many cases of OSA go undiagnosed and untreated, leaving millions at risk for serious health consequences. Zepbound is the first medication that significantly improves moderate-to-severe OSA and aids in long-term weight loss in adults with obesity. Nearly half of clinical trial patients saw such improvements that they no longer had symptoms associated with OSA, marking a critical step forward in reducing the burden of this disease and its interconnected health challenges."

Julie Flygare, JD, president and CEO of Project Sleep, added, “Too often, OSA is brushed off as 'just snoring'—but it's far more than that. It's important to understand OSA symptoms and know that treatments are available, including new options like Zepbound. We hope this will spark more meaningful conversations between patients and health care providers and ultimately lead to better health outcomes."

Sources

1. Eli Lilly’s Zepbound Holds Potential to Dominate Obesity Market, says GlobalData. GlobalData. December 31, 2024. Accessed January 2, 2025. https://www.globaldata.com/media/pharma/eli-lillys-zepbound-holds-potential-dominate-obesity-market-says-globaldata/
2. Lilly's Zepbound® (tirzepatide) Superior to Wegovy® (semaglutide) in Head-to-Head Trial Showing an Average Weight Loss of 20.2% vs. 13.7%. Eli Lilly. December 4, 2024. Accessed January 2, 2025. https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lillys-zepboundr-tirzepatide-superior-wegovyr-semaglutide-head
3. FDA Approves Zepbound® (tirzepatide) as the First and Only Prescription Medicine for Moderate-to-Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults with Obesity. Eli Lilly. December 20, 2024. Accessed January 2, 2025. https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/fda-approves-zepboundr-tirzepatide-first-and-only-prescription