Lilly rival Novo Nordisk has a several year head start in selling insulin-modulating drugs for weight loss, first with a daily shot called Saxenda and, more recently, with a weekly shot named Wegovy. They both stimulate a hormone called GLP-1, which helps the body produce insulin, and their active ingredients were first sold as diabetic drugs. (Wegovy’s main ingredient is branded as Ozempic for use in diabetes.)
Lilly aims to catch up quickly. Mounjaro, which stimulates GLP-1 and another hormone called GIP, gained approval as a weekly diabetes drug in May 2022. But competing in the obesity market has always been part of Lilly’s plan, as weight loss trials were underway prior to last May.
