Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro (tirzepatide) was more effective than both Novo Nordisk’s injectable Ozempic and oral Rybelsus (semaglutide) in helping adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) achieve glycemic and weight-loss targets, according to real-world evidence presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting 2026. The results highlight tirzepatide’s potential to address both glycemic control and weight management within a single T2D treatment strategy, says GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.

T2D is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by elevated blood glucose levels and is commonly associated with overweight or obesity, making both glycemic control and weight management important treatment goals. GLP-1 receptor agonists, including semaglutide, improve glycemic control and promote weight loss, while tirzepatide is a dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist. This dual mechanism may offer advantages when targeting both outcomes simultaneously.

Maria Alexandrovich, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The data demonstrate tirzepatide’s greater real-world effectiveness across two important T2D treatment goals, with more patients achieving both glycemic and weight-loss targets than with injectable or oral semaglutide.”

The retrospective study used primary-care data from England to compare propensity-score matched adults with T2D newly initiated on tirzepatide, injectable semaglutide, or oral semaglutide. At 12 months, 46.3% of patients receiving tirzepatide achieved an HbA1c below 6.5%, compared with 20.6% and 23.8% receiving injectable and oral semaglutide, respectively. Similarly, 24.1% achieved weight loss of at least 15% with tirzepatide, versus 9.1% and 8.4% with the respective semaglutide formulations.

Alexandrovich continues: “In an increasingly competitive incretin market, these data could help differentiate tirzepatide from semaglutide. Its benefits across both glycemic control and weight loss may increase its relevance as treatment decisions increasingly consider outcomes beyond HbA1c alone.”

Alexandrovich concludes: “Further real-world evidence will be important to determine whether tirzepatide’s comparative benefits are maintained over longer-term treatment and what this could mean for its role within the incretin market.”