Rewrites paragraph 1 to add details on trial results
Feb 26 (Reuters) - Eli Lilly's LLY.N experimental weight-loss pill, orforglipron, caused more side effects and treatment discontinuations than Novo Nordisk's NOVOb.CO oral semaglutide in a head-to-head diabetes trial, full results showed on Thursday.
About 58% of patients who were on a 36-milligram dose of Lilly's drug in the study reported mild-to-moderate side effects, including nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, compared with 45% of those treated with the 14 mg dose of oral semaglutide
Novo sells oral semaglutide under the brand name Rybelsus for patients with type 2 diabetes to control blood sugar
About 10% of patients who received 36 mg orforglipron discontinued treatment due to side effects, compared with 5% of those treated with 14 mg Rybelsus
Those who received orforglipron also reported an average increase in pulse rate
Initial results announced in September showed 36 mg orforglipron lowered average blood glucose levels in patients by 2.2%, compared with 1.4% on 14 mg Rybelsus
Patients who took 36 mg orforglipron lost an average of 8.9 kg (19.7 lb), or 9.2%, of their weight, compared with 5 kg (11 lb), or 5.3%, on 14 mg Rybelsus
"We think that the totality of the profile here is a trade-off that patients will be very happy to make because they are getting better glycemic control and better weight loss as well as no restriction on dosing with food and water," said Kenneth Custer, president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health
Lilly's orforglipron, like Rybelsus, mimics the appetite-suppressing GLP-1 hormone targeted by the company's blockbuster injection tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound
(Reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
((Mariam.ESunny@thomsonreuters.com))
