Novo Nordisk’s experimental drug CagriSema outperformed Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide in a key phase 3 trial, boosting its prospects in the competitive incretin-based treatment market for type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Novo Nordisk said on Monday that its experimental obesity and diabetes drug CagriSema outperformed Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide in a phase 3 trial, in a result that could sharpen competition in the fast-growing market for incretin-based treatments. The Danish drugmaker said the once-weekly combination of cagrilintide and semaglutide produced an estimated 12.4% weight loss at 60 weeks in adults with type 2 diabetes, compared with 9.1% for tirzepatide 5 mg, while also delivering a non-inferior reduction in HbA1c, a marker of blood sugar control.
Novo said the REIMAGINE 5 study enrolled adults whose diabetes remained inadequately controlled on metformin, an SGLT2 inhibitor, or both. The company said the comparison was made at relatively low doses of both medicines, a detail that matters because not all patients stay on the highest available dose in routine care. Novo’s research chief, Martin Holst Lange, said the findings were “very encouraging” and strengthened the company’s confidence in the drug’s potential, according to the announcement.
The company also reported results from REDEFINE 9, a separate phase 3 trial in people with overweight or obesity. In that study, CagriSema 1.0 mg/1.0 mg led to 21.0% weight loss at 68 weeks, versus 2.0% for placebo, meeting the primary superiority endpoint. Novo said the drug also improved systolic blood pressure, waist-to-height ratio and fasting lipid levels, suggesting benefits beyond weight reduction alone.
The results arrive after earlier scrutiny of CagriSema’s prospects. A widely discussed phase 3 comparison reported by GLP-3 Wiki found that the drug did not meet a prespecified non-inferiority target against tirzepatide in REDEFINE 4, underscoring how sensitive the field is to dose choice and trial design. Against that backdrop, Novo’s latest data are likely to be seen as a more favourable read-out, although the company stressed that CagriSema remains investigational. Novo has already filed a US application for the medicine for weight management, with a regulatory decision expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
