Eli Lilly's Obesity Drug Zepbound Outperforms Novo Nordisk's Rival in Trial

Lilly's lead in the lucrative obesity drug market widens as its treatment shows greater weight loss than Novo's next-generation candidate.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Eli Lilly's obesity drug Zepbound has demonstrated superior weight loss results compared to Novo Nordisk's experimental drug CagriSema in a head-to-head clinical trial. This latest development further solidifies Lilly's dominance in the competitive obesity treatment market, where it has already overtaken Novo's Wegovy as the market leader. Lilly has also announced a new single-dose delivery device for Zepbound, providing patients with more convenient options.

Why it matters

The obesity drug market is highly lucrative, and Lilly's continued success with Zepbound cements its position as the frontrunner. This is a setback for Novo Nordisk, which was hoping its next-generation CagriSema would help it catch up to Lilly. The new single-dose device for Zepbound also demonstrates Lilly's ability to innovate and provide patients with more convenient treatment options.

The details

In the head-to-head trial, patients on a fixed dose of Lilly's Zepbound lost 25.5% of their body weight, compared to 23% weight loss for those on Novo's CagriSema. CagriSema targets two hormones that regulate appetite and blood sugar, while Zepbound targets the GLP-1 and GIP hormones. Lilly has also announced a new single-dose delivery device for Zepbound, allowing patients to receive a month's supply of the weekly injectable in one device, rather than the current one-dose-per-device format.

  • Lilly secured U.S. approval for Zepbound in late 2023, overtaking Novo's Wegovy as the market leader.
  • Novo Nordisk's CagriSema is its lead candidate to succeed Wegovy, with the goal of providing a more powerful weight-loss treatment.

The players

Eli Lilly

An American pharmaceutical company that has developed the obesity drug Zepbound, which has demonstrated superior weight loss results compared to its rival Novo Nordisk's candidate.

Novo Nordisk

A Danish pharmaceutical company that developed the obesity drug Wegovy, which was the market leader until Lilly's Zepbound overtook it. Novo is now racing to develop a more powerful next-generation obesity treatment, CagriSema, but it has fallen short of Lilly's Zepbound in a head-to-head trial.

Zepbound

Eli Lilly's obesity drug that targets the GLP-1 and GIP hormones, resulting in greater weight loss on average than Novo's Wegovy.

CagriSema

Novo Nordisk's experimental obesity drug that targets two hormones, GLP-1 and amylin, in an effort to provide a more powerful weight-loss treatment than its existing Wegovy drug.

Jim Cramer

A financial analyst and host on CNBC who has expressed his belief that Lilly's Zepbound is the superior obesity drug and that investors should focus on Lilly's stock rather than Novo Nordisk's.

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What they’re saying

“At what point do we just say, 'You know, Lilly's got the better one and just move on?' I don't see a path to own [Novo's] stock. I just don't. I still see a path to own Lilly ... I think Lilly may go much higher.”

— Jim Cramer, CNBC Host (CNBC)

What’s next

Lilly is expected to receive FDA approval for its oral obesity treatment in April 2026, providing patients with a needle-free alternative to injectable obesity drugs.

The takeaway

Lilly's dominance in the lucrative obesity drug market continues to widen, as its Zepbound treatment has demonstrated superior weight loss results compared to its rival Novo Nordisk's next-generation candidate. Lilly's ability to innovate and provide patients with more convenient treatment options further solidifies its position as the leader in this highly competitive space.