Lilly’s ‘triple-G’ drug tops Novo’s Ozempic in diabetes trial

An article from Dive Brief // Obesity drugs Lilly’s ‘triple-G’ drug tops Novo’s Ozempic in diabetes trial The highest dose of retatrutide beat Ozempic on measures of blood sugar and weight loss, but was also associated with higher side effect rates and treatment discontinuations. Published Oct. 28, 2026 Jonathan Gardner Senior Reporter Share Copy link Email LinkedIn X/Twitter Facebook Print License Add us on Google Dive Brief: Eli Lilly’s triple-acting metabolic drug retatrutide bested Novo’s Ozempic in a head-to-head Phase 3 trial, with the highest dose tested beating Novo’s drug on measures of blood sugar and weight loss, the company said Wednesday.

After 80 weeks of treatment, a 12 milligram weekly dose of retatrutide lowered blood sugar by an average of 2.2 percentage points, significantly more than Ozempic’s 1.8 percentage points, Lilly said. A 9 mg dose of retatrutide also lowered blood sugar by 2.2 percentage points, but the difference when compared to Ozempic was statistically “nominal,” the company said. The results confirm earlier findings suggesting retatrutide — which acts on three metabolic pathways versus one for Ozempic — could be a differentiated diabetes and weight loss medicine.

In an obesity trial, this “triple-G” drug stimulated weight loss that rivaled results seen in bariatric surgery. Dive Insight: Should retatrutide go on to win approval, Lilly may further cement its place atop metabolic medicine. The ascent of its already-marketed Zepbound and Mounjaro have propelled Lilly’s market value far beyond that of its pharmaceutical peers.

And the buzz surrounding retatrutide is so strong that many people have resorted to a nebulous “black market” to get their hands on it. Retatrutide represents the next step in a push by obesity drug developers to make therapies that can drop weight even more profoundly than existing medications. While GLP-1 medicines have been on the market for more than 20 years, for instance — Lilly was the commercial partner for the first such shot — the company has been specializing in drugs that add more metabolic targets to boost effectiveness.

Zepbound and Mounjaro modulate GLP-1 as well as a second hormone called GIP. Retatrutide acts on a third, called glucagon, too. Novo is aiming to catch up, but has yet to launch a dual acting drug, and its three-pronged candidates are in Phase 2 trials.

The latest trial result showed just how challenging a foe retatrutide might be for Novo. The highest dose lowered weight by 21% on average, while a 9 mg dose was associated with 20% weight loss. That number was 9% for Ozempic recipients.

Those benefits appear to come with a trade-off. In the study, only 3% of Ozempic recipients stopped treatment because of side effects compared with 8% of the people on the highest retatrutide dose and 5% of those in the 9 mg group. Still, the results “strengthen the case for retatrutide’s long-term differentiation” and justify a “branded premium” ahead of the 2032 U.S.

patent expiration of semaglutide, wrote Leerink analyst David Risinger in a client note. Risinger expects annual retatrutide sales to reach $15 billion in 2032, higher than the $10 billion consensus among Wall Street analysts. Add us on Google Share Copy link Email LinkedIn X/Twitter Facebook Print License Filed Under: Pharma, Clinical Trials, Marketing