Tirzepatide (Zepbound) led to more weight loss than semaglutide (Wegovy) in a clinical trial funded by Eli Lilly. Participants who received tirzepatide also had greater improvements in metabolic risk factors.

Eli Lilly said on Sunday its drug Zepbound was superior to Novo Nordisk's Wegovy across five weight-loss targets such as reducing waist circumference, citing data from a head-to-head trial.

Nearly 32% of Zepbound users lost at least a quarter of their body weight, compared with about 16% of Wegovy users. In both groups, weight loss was about 6% lower in men than in women, AP said. Both groups saw health improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar and blood fat levels, too.