Eli Lily Stocks jumped 15% After clinical trials of that experimental drug, it was shown that patients with type 2 diabetes can help lose weight at levels comparable to leading injections like Ozempic.
Mid-stage exam results announced on Thursday The drug giant showed its patient Taking Orforglipron meant loss of 16 pounds (7.9% of body weight) over 26 weeks.
The results are advantageous compared to the widely prescribed Ozempics of Novo Nordisk, which helped diabetics to lose about 6% of their body weight at the most approved dose.
Lily’s shares recently rose 14% to $838.80 in trading Thursday.
“This represents a potentially significant advancement for patients seeking needleless options for weight and glucose management.” Eli Lily said in a statement Thursday.
The drug also lowered patients’ blood glucose levels by 1.3% on average.
This reduction was slightly below the 2.1% reduction seen in Ozempic, but promotes weight loss and the overall effectiveness of orfoglipron in controlling diabetes is met with enthusiasm.
Meanwhile, US Listing stock of Novo Nordisk, a Danish company that sells both Ozempic and Wegovy, a high-dose weight loss variant, slipped 3.9% amid concerns that viable oral competitors could erode market control.
Orforglipron belongs to the same class of drugs as Ozempic and Wegovy, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists.
These drugs mimic a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 that regulates appetite, insulin secretion and blood glucose.
Although originally developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 drugs have skyrocketed in popularity due to their ability to promote significant weight loss.
Demand for these treatments has skyrocketed in recent years as obesity rates continue to rise worldwide and patients are increasingly seeking pharmaceutical solutions for weight management.
One of the main barriers to the wider adoption of current GLP-1 therapies, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, was the injectable form.
This has made the development of oral alternatives a top priority for drugmakers.
If approved, Eli Lilly’s Orforglipron can reconstruct the landscape by offering a more convenient, pill-based approach with comparable effects.
The Orforglipron trial is one of several studies Lily is doing to assess the potential of drugs across a variety of conditions, including obesity and sleep apnea.
Lily’s major obesity trials are not expected to close until at least July, according to the US government’s clinical trial registry.
If the data remains in its favor, the company hopes to apply for regulatory approval in early 2026, Lily CEO David Rix told Bloomberg Television earlier this year.
The news comes amid a recent setback in the oral GLP-1 space.
Pfizer halted the development of one of its obesity pill candidates in late 2023, citing the issue of tolerability.
Novo Nordisk also faces questions about the durability and consistency of the results of its proprietary oral formulations.
