Eli Lilly (LLY, Financial) is investigating new applications for its weight-loss drug Zepbound to reduce the incidence of diabetes and other high-risk conditions, even for patients who are not overweight. The company's CEO, Dave Ricks, disclosed that they aim to test Zepbound as a health maintenance therapy for individuals with a body mass index (BMI) below the overweight threshold.
Currently, Zepbound and another candidate drug, orforglipron, target patients with a BMI of 30 or higher, as well as those with a BMI of 27 or above who have additional weight-related health issues. The company plans to lower the BMI threshold to 25 or less to explore the drug's potential in preventing diabetes, stroke, or vascular dementia. This approach is particularly relevant for groups with a lower BMI but higher diabetes risk, such as Pacific Islanders.
Despite this expanded focus, Eli Lilly maintains that using Zepbound for cosmetic weight loss is inappropriate. Zepbound, also known as tirzepatide, is a GLP-1 class drug, competing mainly with Novo Nordisk's semaglutide, marketed under the names Ozempic and Wegovy.
GLP-1 drugs are gaining attention for their potential in weight loss and blood sugar control. Several other companies are also actively developing obesity treatments, including Amgen (AMGN), Pfizer (PFE), AstraZeneca (AZN), Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, Viking Therapeutics (VKTX), Altimmune (ALT), Zealand Pharma, and Sciwind Bio.
