A Zepbound injection pen from Eli Lilly & Co. was installed in the US borough of Brooklyn on Thursday, March 28, 2024.
Shelby Knowles | Bloomberg |
Eli LillyWeight-loss drug Zepbound showed benefits in patients with a common form of heart failure and obesity, according to late-stage trial data the company released Thursday.
The results provide further evidence that Zepbound and other popular GLP-1 drugs offer health benefits beyond promoting weight loss and regulating blood sugar levels, potentially leading to broader coverage of these treatments by health insurers.
Eli Lilly announced that the company will present the results of the Phase 3 trial to U.S. regulators and other authorities later this year.
Eli Lilly shares closed more than 3% higher on Thursday.
Patients taking Zepbound were 38% less likely to be hospitalized or die from heart complications and were less likely to need a dose increase. The study found that patients who received a placebo were more compliant with their heart failure medications than those who received a placebo. Zepbound also significantly improved heart failure symptoms and physical limitations, Eli Lilly said in a press release.
On average, the study followed more than 700 patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and obesity for two years. Some patients also suffered from diabetes.
In HFpEF, the heart is no longer able to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Eli Lilly said the condition is associated with a “high burden” of symptoms and physical limitations that affect the patient's daily life, including fatigue, shortness of breath and reduced physical performance, to name a few.
According to the latest estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 6.7 million adults ages 20 and older in the United States suffer from heart failure.
Eli Lilly estimates that HFpEF accounts for nearly half of all heart failure cases, and in the United States, nearly 60% of affected patients also suffer from obesity.
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The safety data for Zepbound were consistent with previous studies evaluating the drug. The most common side effects were gastrointestinal in nature, such as nausea and diarrhea, and were mild to moderate in severity.
Eli Lilly will present the data at an upcoming medical meeting and submit them to a peer-reviewed journal.
The pharmaceutical giant's main competitor in the GLP-1 market, Novo Nordisk, is already one step ahead.
Novo Nordisk submitted an application earlier this year for the use of its weight-loss drug Wegovy to treat patients with HFpEF. The Food and Drug Administration also gave Wegovy the green light in March because it dramatically reduces the risk of serious heart complications.
Meanwhile, both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have tested their respective drugs on patients with chronic kidney disease and fatty liver, as well as other diseases. GLP-1s work by mimicking hormones produced in the gut to suppress a person's appetite and regulate their blood sugar.
But Zepbound targets both the GLP-1 and GIP hormone receptors, while Wegovy only targets GLP-1.
Correction: The Food and Drug Administration gave Wegovy the green light in March because it dramatically reduced the risk of serious heart complications. An earlier version misstated the month.
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