Eli Lilly's Orforglipron Shows 11.2% Weight Loss in Obesity Trial

Eli Lilly and Company (LLY.US) has unveiled promising results from its clinical trials for the oral weight loss drug Orforglipron, which demonstrated a significant weight reduction of 11.2% in adult patients with obesity. The findings were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes conference, where the company plans to release comprehensive data from the primary obesity trial and publish it in the New England Journal of Medicine.

While Orforglipron showed slightly less weight loss compared to Eli Lilly's own injectable drug Zepbound and Novo Nordisk's Wegovy in another study, medical professionals highlighted the drug's oral form as a game-changer in expanding treatment accessibility. Oral medications are generally easier to produce, more convenient to use, and potentially more cost-effective than injectables.

One of the lead authors of the study, the medical director of the Warton Medical Clinic in Toronto, emphasized that this development marks a significant shift in obesity treatment, enabling more patients in need to access effective care. The current trend in the weight loss market is the transition from injectable to oral medications, with industry research predicting this sector to reach 100 million dollars in annual sales by 2030. Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are at the forefront of this competition.

There are key differences in the drug characteristics between the two companies. Novo Nordisk's drug contains the same semaglutide component found in injectable formulations, making it more complex to produce and use, with restrictions such as dietary timing requirements. In contrast, Eli Lilly's Orforglipron is classified as a "small molecule drug," which is more efficient to produce and has no dietary restrictions.

Despite initial market skepticism that led some analysts to lower their sales projections, subsequent data from studies on patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity have renewed confidence in the drug. The primary obesity trial also showed that Orforglipron can improve patients' blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Approximately 7% of participants in the highest dosage group discontinued the trial due to gastrointestinal side effects. Notably, over 35% of the participants were male, a demographic that typically shows weaker weight loss results with new-generation weight loss drugs compared to females.

Clinical Associate Professor Stephen Lawrence from the University of Warwick reviewed the data and concluded that a weight loss of over 10% is clinically significant. The study included a diverse group of patients, reflecting real-world usage scenarios. He stressed that the ease of access and convenience of oral medications are as important as the amount of weight loss achieved.

Eli Lilly aims to submit a regulatory approval application by the end of the year and has already requested accelerated review from the FDA. If approved, the drug is expected to launch in 2024. The company has stockpiled a significant amount of inventory to meet anticipated demand. The CEO stated that they are in communication with the FDA and health authorities to expedite the review process.

Although Novo Nordisk may introduce the oral version of Wegovy slightly earlier, their development has been slowed by production capacity issues. Additionally, Eli Lilly is conducting comparative studies on patients with type 2 diabetes to assess the efficacy differences between their drug and the low-dose oral semaglutide drug Rybelsus.