Boehringer’s obesity drug cuts liver fat but lags behind competitors in weight loss

Data from a Phase 3 trial of Boehringer Ingelheim’s weekly injectable survodutide were presented at the American Diabetes Association meeting. Patients receiving the highest dose lost about 13% of body weight after 76 weeks, while the placebo group lost roughly 5%.

Those weight-loss results fall short of the reductions reported for Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound in their pivotal studies, which showed larger percentages of weight loss.

The trial also showed a pronounced effect on liver fat, with participants on survodutide experiencing up to a 63% reduction compared with a 25% drop in the placebo arm.

However, the drug appeared less tolerable than existing options, raising questions about its ability to compete in the crowded obesity market.