Novo Nordisk faces new GLP-1 rival as Eli Lilly’s triple agonist sets weight-loss record Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock
Citi said Eli Lilly and Co’s (NYSE:LLY) experimental obesity drug retatrutide has set a new competitive benchmark for the GLP-1 weight-loss market after a pivotal trial showed patients losing 28% of their body weight over 80 weeks at the highest dose.
The results from the TRIUMPH-1 trial, the first dedicated phase III obesity study of the triple agonist drug, were broadly in line with the previously reported TRIUMPH-4 trial in obesity and knee osteoarthritis patients, which showed 28.7% weight loss at 68 weeks.
Retatrutide’s performance comfortably exceeded existing treatments from Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO), the Danish pharmaceutical group behind the blockbuster Wegovy and Ozempic franchises.
High-dose Wegovy achieved 20.7% weight loss at 72 weeks, while Eli Lilly’s own Zepbound, already on the market, delivered 22.5% over the same period.
However, Citi flagged a higher discontinuation rate due to adverse events with retatrutide at 11.3%, compared with 5.4% for high-dose Wegovy, 6.2% for Zepbound and 5.9% for CagriSema, Novo Nordisk’s next-generation combination therapy.
Gastrointestinal side effects appeared similar to existing treatments, though with slightly higher rates of diarrhoea.
Dysaesthesia, a tingling or burning skin sensation, was reported in 12.5% of patients on retatrutide, compared with 22% on high-dose Wegovy and 5% on the Wegovy pill.
Detailed data will be presented at the American Diabetes Association conference in June.
Citi maintained its ‘neutral’ rating on Novo Nordisk, describing retatrutide as potentially setting a new bar for high-efficacy weight loss and representing a key future competitive threat to the Danish group’s dominant position in the obesity drug market.