Americans are among the least healthy first-world citizens, partly due to the fact that over 42 percent of the adults in the US suffer from obesity – a condition that is an ideal breeding ground for a veritable host of ailments, including hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, etc. Luckily, we are currently at the precipice of slaying this menace for good, all thanks to a range of new drugs, including Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic (semaglutide; the drug’s other, teen-focused variant is known as Wegovy) and Eli Lilly and Company’s Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) as well as Retatrutide.
Understanding the Latest Obesity-Fighting Drugs
Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic was approved by the FDA in 2017 for patients with type-2 diabetes. In December 2022, the FDA approved Ozempic’s new variant – Wegovy – to treat obesity in teens aged 12 years and above. Critically, clinical trials showed that patients taking Wegovy regularly could lose around 15 percent of their body weight. Both Ozempic and Wegovy mimic the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which targets brain areas that regulate appetite.
Eli Lilly and Company has emerged as a significant player in the weight-loss arena in recent years. The FDA approved the company’s Mounjaro injections in 2022 to treat type-2 diabetes in conjunction with obesity. Mounjaro targets two hormones – GLP-1 as well as glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) – to achieve superior blood sugar control. When used in conjunction with insulin, clinical trials showed an average weight loss of 23 pounds.
Of course, it is Eli Lilly and Company’s latest offering that is creating a lot of buzz. Retatutide is currently undergoing clinical trials. The drug targets three different hunger-regulating hormones:
- GLP-1
- GIP
- Glucagon
As per the results of Retatutide’s phase two trials, the drug can lead to an average loss of 17.5 percent of body weight in adult patients within 24 weeks of the treatment, with injections administered once every week. At 48 weeks of treatment, the average weight loss can be as high as 24.2 percent. Should these results hold scrutiny, the drug can virtually eliminate the need for bariatric surgery.
Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic vs. Eli Lilly and Company’s Retatrutide
Critics of weight-loss drugs argue that the treatments represent costly, life-long commitments. After all, much of the weight-loss-inducing benefits of these drugs diminish if the treatment is suspended.
Evidence continues to pile up that Ozempic will single handedly usher the United States into health utopia.
The cost of the medication is being offset by *food cost savings*. The price of the medication itself will continue to come down insurance acceptance for weight loss grows https://t.co/7Y43r2Z3La
— Floates0x (@floates0x) August 17, 2023
However, one seldom-discussed benefit of Ozempic and other similar offerings is the fiscal space created from a sustained diminishing of the appetite, with anecdotal evidence suggesting significant cost savings. Moreover, with insurance companies increasingly coming on board, the cost of these drugs is likely to substantially moderate in the years to come.
Of course, with Eli Lilly and Company’s newest Retatrutide drug offering significantly more obesity-reducing benefits, the treatment might replace Ozempic in its entirety should the clinical trials pan out.
And, it seems that investors are paying attention to this obsoletion aspect. Consider the fact that Novo Nordisk stock is up 33 percent so far this year. In contrast, Eli Lilly and Company’s shares are up 51 percent in the same timeframe.
Do you think Ozempic and Retatrutide are about to become must-have lifestyle drugs in the US? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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