Novo Nordisk Highlights Semaglutide Edge A Day After FDA Clears Lilly’s Orforglipron

• Results from the ORION study showed that using semaglutide led to about 3 percentage points more weight loss on average.
• In a separate patient survey, 84% of participants preferred a treatment profile similar to semaglutide over orforglipron, Novo said.
• The study used a population-adjusted indirect treatment comparison to measure weight loss and tolerability between oral semaglutide 25 mg and orforglipron 36 mg.

Novo Nordisk (NVO) on Thursday said that oral semaglutide 25 mg delivered greater weight loss than orforglipron, just a day after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug.

NVO stock was little changed at the time of writing while LLY shares fell more than 1%.

Results from the ORION study showed semaglutide led to about 3 percentage points more weight loss on average, Novo said. The FDA approved orforglipron at doses up to 17.2 mg. The approved 17.2 mg tablet is equivalent to the 36 mg capsules used in Phase 3 trials, which were used as the comparator in the ORION study.

The ORION study used a population-adjusted indirect treatment comparison to measure weight loss and tolerability between oral semaglutide 25 mg and orforglipron 36 mg. It was based on data from the Phase 3 OASIS 4 and ATTAIN-1 clinical trials.

Discontinuation Rates Roughly 14 Times Higher With orforglipron

The study also found tolerability advantages for semaglutide. Patients taking orforglipron had significantly higher odds of stopping treatment due to side effects, especially gastrointestinal (GI) issues. Discontinuation rates due to GI events were roughly 14 times higher with orforglipron.

In a separate patient survey, 84% of participants preferred a treatment profile similar to semaglutide over orforglipron.

Novo’s Discounted Offering 

Earlier this week, Novo Nordisk introduced a discounted subscription plan for U.S. patients paying out of pocket for its obesity drug Wegovy, aiming to better compete with Eli Lilly. 

Monthly pricing for Wegovy injections now ranges from $329 for a three-month plan to $249 for a one-year plan, compared with the usual $349, while the pill version is priced between $249 and $289 per month.

By comparison, Eli Lilly’s self-pay pricing for Zepbound starts at $299 per month for the 2.5 mg dose and increases to $399 for 5 mg, $449 for 7.5 mg, with higher doses priced further up.

How Did Retail Traders React?

Retail sentiment for NVO on Stocktwits remained in the ‘bearish’ territory over the past 24 hours.

One  user said Novo’s data was a “big distortion.”

However, another user said that the latest data “could limit sales for orforglipron.

Year-to-date the NVO shares have declined nearly 30% while LLY stock has shed more than 13%.

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