INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana: Eli Lilly's experimental obesity drug retatrutide delivered more than twice the weight loss achieved with Novo Nordisk's Ozempic while also producing better blood sugar control in a late-stage diabetes trial, the company said.

Patients receiving the higher, 12 mg dose of retatrutide lost 20.9% of their weight after 80 weeks, compared with 9.4% among those taking Ozempic.

Both the 9 mg and 12 mg doses of retatrutide reduced A1C, a measure of blood sugar over time, by an average of 2.2%, compared with a 1.8% reduction for Ozempic.

The head-to-head trial compared the two retatrutide doses with a 2 mg dose of Novo Nordisk's diabetes drug. Lilly said it used the 2 mg dose because it is the highest approved dose of Ozempic available.

The results strengthen the competitive profile of retatrutide, which is expected to contribute to Lilly's next phase of growth following the success of its Zepbound and Mounjaro drugs.

Retatrutide, commonly nicknamed "triple-G", is a once-weekly drug that activates GLP-1, GIP and glucagon hormone receptors.

Triple-G drugs are expected to produce greater weight loss than earlier generations by combining appetite suppression, blood sugar control and increased calorie burning.

Previous studies of retatrutide have shown levels of weight loss comparable with bariatric surgery in patients with obesity.

"Overall, the data reaffirms retatrutide's differentiated efficacy across weight and glycemic control, strengthening its position as a key long-term cardiometabolic growth driver," said Citi analyst Geoffrey Meacham.

Retatrutide also produced greater improvements than Ozempic across certain cardiovascular risk factors.

Ambre James-Brown, head of Novo's global media, said Ozempic should not be assessed solely on weight loss, noting that the highest doses of the diabetes drug have also demonstrated benefits for heart, kidney and liver health.

Lilly plans to seek U.S. approval for retatrutide next year and will present detailed results from the study at a future medical meeting.

The company is also testing retatrutide against tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound, in another key late-stage study involving adults with obesity with or without type 2 diabetes.