Eli Lilly pre-market rose over 14%, oral weight loss drug Orforglipron's phase III clinical data is impressive, with results surpassing Novo Nordisk's Ozempic

Eli Lilly's oral weight loss drug Orforglipron has performed excellently in Phase III clinical trials and is expected to become a non-injection alternative for weight loss. Trial results show that Eli Lilly's Orforglipron can match or even surpass the weight loss effects of injectable GLP-1 drugs. Patients taking Orforglipron lost an average of 16 pounds, equivalent to 7.9% of their body weight. In contrast, Novo Nordisk's star product Ozempic only resulted in about a 6% weight loss in diabetic patients at the highest dose. Additionally, this oral medication also reduced blood sugar levels by an average of 1.3%, while Ozempic lowered it by 2.1%. As a result of this news, Eli Lilly's stock price soared 14% in pre-market trading, while Novo Nordisk's European stock fell nearly 6.8%. Competitors Suffer Setbacks Earlier this week, Pfizer announced it would stop developing the oral weight loss drug Danuglipron due to a potential drug-related liver injury in one patient during clinical trials. Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk has lost its position as the largest company by market value in the European stock market this month. Since June of last year, Novo Nordisk has faced a series of setbacks, including lower-than-expected demand for weight loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic, disappointing mid-term trial results for the oral weight loss drug monlunabant, and poor data performance for another injectable drug in development, CagriSema. In the context of competitors' poor performance, Eli Lilly's research is drawing significant attention. According to clinical trial databases, the company's main obesity trial is expected to complete as early as July. If all goes well, the company may receive approval for obesity indications as early as early 2026.