Novo Nordisk says Wegovy pill outperforms Lilly’s oral GLP-1 in cross-trial comparison

In this article NVO NVO LLY Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Wegovy semaglutide tablets. Michael Siluk | Universal Images Group | Getty Images The Wegovy pill showed more pronounced weight loss and less cumbersome side effects than Eli Lilly 's rival pill that was approved this week , Novo Nordisk said Thursday. Oral Wegovy demonstrated "significantly greater mean weight loss" than orforglipron, which Lilly will sell under the brand name Foundayo from next week, in an indirect study that compared the outcomes of other studies. Novo's findings evaluated previously published studies of the medicines and did not include any fresh data points. It will present further details of the study at the Obesity Medicine Association's annual conference next week, the Danish drugmaker said. A separate analysis suggested that 84% of patients favored a drug profile similar to that of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, to that of Foundayo, Novo said. "These studies add to the growing body of evidence supporting the clinical strength of semaglutide and highlight attributes that patients value when choosing an obesity medicine that fits their lifestyle," said newly-appointed Jamey Millar, executive vice president for U.S. operations. Efficacy versus ease It comes as Novo and Lilly are both trying to shape the narrative of their respective pills, which is broadly considered to be the start of the next phase of the weight-loss drug era. The introduction of pills as an alternative to injections is expected to scale the market, as they are more easily distributed worldwide and favored by consumers. Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks told CNBC this week that Foundayo is more accessible and can more easily be fitted into daily routines. Foundayo can be taken without food restrictions, while the Wegovy pill needs to be taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with only a small amount of water, and patients must wait at least 30 minutes before eating. wa...