Novo Nordisk’s next-gen weight loss drug outperforms Zepbound in new trial

( NewsNation ) — Amid the pending litigation against GLP-1 drugmakers , Novo Nordisk’s new obesity drug led to greater weight loss than Zepbound in patients, according to new research.

A late-stage clinical trial found that a 1 mg dose of CagriSema led to 12.4 percent weight loss in patients with Type 2 diabetes after 60 weeks. By comparison, patients receiving a 5 mg dose of Zepbound (tirzepatide) experienced 9.1 percent weight loss.

“The results from CagriSema are very encouraging, demonstrating the strong potency of the combination of semaglutide and cagrilintide,” Novo Nordisk Chief Scientific Officer Martin Holst Lange said .

“With only 1.0 mg/1.0 mg, CagriSema shows superior weight loss versus tirzepatide 5 mg as well as strong results across obesity and Type 2 diabetes,” he added.

In a separate trial, Novo Nordisk noted CagriSema reduced weight in overweight or obese adults by 21 percent at 68 weeks compared with a placebo.

CagriSema is a weight-loss drug currently being developed by Novo Nordisk.

The medication is widely viewed as the successor to Wegovy, whose patent expires in 2030.

The drug is a combination of cagrilintide and semaglutide.

The Care Pharmacy describes cagrilintide as a long-acting amylin analog that targets the area postrema and hypothalamus, two key regions of the brain involved in regulating hunger and feelings of fullness.

Combining cagrilintide and semaglutide can produce significant weight loss in overweight or obese adults without diabetes, according to study results published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

A decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on CagriSema is anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The drug is not approved in the U.S. or Europe as of this month.