Eli Lilly’s experimental tablet helped patients lose about 11% of body weight, approximately 11 kg, in an advanced study that prepares the land for a new competitor in the obesity market next year.
The result was in the lower range of the expectations of Wall Street. Investors hoped that Lilly’s tablet named Orforglipron was as effective as WeGovy – revolutionary injection for weight loss produced by Novo Nordisk. Wegovy users lost about 14% to 15% of the weight in decisive rehearsals, slightly less than those who received competing Lilly, Zepbound.
The shares fell more than 12% in pre-market negotiations in New York on Thursday. The new one rose up to 8.4% in Copenhagen, the highest increase in almost four months.
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Although Lilly and New injections have revolutionized obesity treatment, investors say tablets are essential to reaching more patients in a market that should grow to $ 95 billion by 2030. But science has been a challenge. Pfizer and Astrazeneca are among the few companies that have faced setbacks in the race to develop their own powerful tablets.
Doctors will prescribe the medicine regardless of whether it reaches the investor -expected weight loss goal, as long as it is safe and effective, Katherine Saunders, an obesity specialist and co -founder of Flyte Health, who did not participate in the study.
“We need all the tools we can get,” he said in an interview before the results.
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Side effects
The most common side effects were nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, which occurred at rates similar to those of existing LPG-1 medications, Lilly said in a statement detailing the results. Notably, Orforglipron did not cause liver problems, a concern with other developing weight loss tablets. About 10% of patients abandoned the study due to side effects.
The company plans to submit the results of the 18 -month study, which involved more than 3,100 adults to regulatory agencies for approval by the end of the year. Detailed results will be presented at a medical conference in September.
If approved, the daily tablet will probably be available at pharmacies next year. Orforglipron is easier to make than Lilly’s Zepbound and should be a cheaper option for patients.
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Lilly is already making “substantial investments” to meet the expected demand, including the stock of at least $ 600 million in pills and active ingredients needed to make more, according to recent financial documents.
In a previous study with Orforglipron, type 2 diabetics lost 7.6% of body weight in 40 weeks. They had not yet reached a big plateau when the study ended, Lilly told, suggesting that they may lose even more. Blood sugar levels also fell.
New is about to receive response from regulators about a higher dose version of its Rybelsus pill for weight loss later this year. Until recently, development was suspended because the new one could not produce sufficient amount of the active ingredient used in all its diabetes and obesity medicines called Semaglutida.
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