health
February 23, 2026
Eli Lilly's lead in the obesity race gets wider after another win against rival Novo Nordisk
Lilly shares rose more than 4% Monday, while rival Novo Nordisk tanked.
TL;DR
- Eli Lilly's Zepbound demonstrated superior weight loss efficacy in a head-to-head trial against Novo Nordisk's experimental drug CagriSema.
- Patients on Zepbound lost 25.5% of their body weight, compared to 23% for those on CagriSema over 84 weeks.
- Lilly introduced a new single-device formulation of Zepbound in the U.S. for enhanced patient convenience.
- Novo Nordisk's shares dropped over 15% following the release of the less favorable trial data.
- Lilly is investing heavily in manufacturing and has a robust pipeline, including drugs like retatrutide and eloralintide, to maintain its market leadership.
- Other competitors like Amgen and Pfizer are also developing obesity drugs, but Lilly currently leads the race with its established and pipeline treatments.
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