Novo Nordisk announced on 4 November 2022, that they had a witnessed a growth in the sales of Ozempic (semaglutide), which is indicated for type 2 diabetes (T2D). The increase may be attributed to supply shortages of Wegovy (semaglutide), indicated for obesity, due to its high demand and manufacturer production problems. Ozempic is currently compensating for this shortage via off-label use, as Wegovy provides the biggest percentage in body weight loss among marketed obesity therapies, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist, similar to a number of other treatments in the obesity and T2D market, such as Saxenda (liraglutide) and Victoza (liraglutide), both of which are also produced by Novo Nordisk. However, Wegovy is a current favorite within the obesity market due to its superior efficacy benefits in comparison to the other GLP-1 receptor agonist, Saxenda.

In a STEP 8 head-to-head comparison study (NCT04074161), semaglutide outperformed liraglutide, accounting for over 10% weight loss in over 76% of trial participants, whereas only 33% of patients experienced weight loss with liraglutide. Furthermore, results from the trial revealed that in patients treated with semaglutide, a mean decrease in body weight of 15% was observed, in comparison to 6.4% decrease in patients treated with liraglutide.

Sara Reci, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Key opinion leaders (KOLs) interviewed by GlobalData have further echoed this, stating that Wegovy shows potential for the greatest amount of weight reduction among approved therapies for obesity.”

Looking ahead, late-stage pipeline products that are set to rival Wegovy upon launch include Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide, which has been granted approval for T2D and is currently under fast-track designation for obesity. This therapy’s dual receptor agonist mechanism of action, paired with promising Phase III study results, sets it on a trajectory to compete head-to-head with Wegovy.

Reci concludes: “The introduction of tirzepatide into the obesity space is expected to drive competition in the market as well as increase the variety of treatment options available to patients with obesity. Nonetheless, for the time being, the relaunch of Wegovy is eagerly awaited and remains the current favorite treatment in the obesity space.”