Mounjaro is more effective than Ozempic for weight loss in overweight and obese adults, real world study says

The blockbuster diabetes drug Mounjaro is more effective for weight loss than another highly popular treatment, Ozempic, in overweight or obese adults, according to a large analysis of real-world data published Monday.

Patients taking Eli Lilly‘s Mounjaro were significantly more likely to lose weight and saw larger reductions in body weight at specific time points compared to those on Novo Nordisk‘s Ozempic in the study by Truveta Research. The firm compiles and analyzes patient data from a collective of health-care systems. 

The results come as both drugs and similar treatments approved for weight loss soar in demand in the U.S. for their ability to help patients shed unwanted pounds over time. The wider adoption has boosted shares of Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk this year.

Mounjaro and Ozempic are only approved for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, but many people use the weekly injections off-label to lose weight. 

Previous head-to-head studies have similarly suggested that Mounjaro is more effective than Ozempic for weight loss and controlling blood sugar in adults with Type 2 diabetes. 

But Monday’s study confirms Mounjaro’s edge over Ozempic in a real-world setting, specifically among adults who are overweight or obese. Notably, head-to-head clinical trials in that population are not yet available, according to Truveta Research. 

Eli Lilly is pitting Mounjaro against Wegovy, a higher dose version of Ozempic approved for weight loss, in an ongoing clinical trial in obese or overweight patients. But results won’t be released until next year.

“We’ve been able to compare the head-to-head efficacy of these two important medications for weight loss in advance of randomized clinical trials,” said Dr. Nick Stucky, an author of the study and vice president of Truveta Research,…