Health
Study directly compares Zepbound and Wegovy for weight-loss results
Weight-loss medications continue to grow in popularity as an anti-obesity tool — but are some more effective than others?
The question was explored in a new study published this month in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Researchers compared the safety and efficacy of tirzepatide (brand name Zepbound) and semaglutide (brand name Wegovy) in a 72-week clinical trial.
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The randomized, controlled trial — called SURMOUNT-5 — included 751 people throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico who had obesity but not type 2 diabetes.
“Doctors, insurance companies and patients are always asking, ‘Which drug is more effective?’” said Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center and the Sanford I. Weill Professor of Metabolic Research at Weill Cornell Medicine, in the release. “This study allowed us to do a direct comparison.”
Researchers compared the safety and efficacy of tirzepatide (brand name Zepbound) and semaglutide (brand name Wegovy) in a 72-week clinical trial. (iStock)
“The results are consistent with — in fact, almost identical to — what we’ve seen in trials in which these drugs were evaluated independently,” added Aronne, who was a principal investigator in the trial.
The study found that tirzepatide achieved greater weight loss, with participants shedding about 50 pounds (20.2% of their body weight).
“Doctors, insurance companies and patients are always asking, ‘Which drug is more effective?’”
The group taking semaglutide lost an average of 33 pounds or 13.7% of their baseline weight, according to a press release summarizing the study outcome.
Overall, 32% of the people taking tirzepatide lost at least 25% of their body weight; semaglutide users lost around 16%.
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Tirzepatide users also reported a “greater reduction in waist circumference” than those on semaglutide.
The likely reason for tirzepatide’s greater effectiveness is that it uses a “dual mechanism of action,” according to Aronne.
The randomized, controlled trial — called SURMOUNT-5 — included 751 people in the U.S. and Puerto Rico who had obesity but not type 2 diabetes. (Steve Christo – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
“Whereas semaglutide works by activating receptors for a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1, or GLP-1, tirzepatide mimics not only GLP-1, but also an additional hormone, glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP),” the release stated.
“Together, these actions reduce hunger, lower blood-glucose levels and affect fat cell metabolism.”
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Additional trials are actively exploring whether tirzepatide also reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke, a benefit that has been linked to semaglutide.
The study was led by an investigator at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian. It was also conducted with the University of Texas McGovern Medical School, the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, the University College Dublin and Eli Lilly (maker of Zepbound).
The study found that tirzepatide achieved greater weight loss, with participants shedding about 50 pounds (20.2% of their body weight). (iStock)
The participants all received guidance regarding nutrition and exercise.
The reported side effects were very similar for the two drugs, with 44% of people experiencing nausea and 25% having abdominal pain.
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Dr. Ada Londono, M.D., a board-certified obesity and internal medicine primary care physician with PlushCare — a virtual health platform offering primary care, therapy and weight management services — said she was not surprised by the study’s findings.
“The results are consistent with prior trials, confirming tirzepatide’s advantage over semaglutide’s single GLP-1 action,” Londono, who is based in New York City, told Fox News Digital.
Beyond weight loss, semaglutide has also shown potential benefits for cardiovascular health, sleep apnea and kidney disease. (iStock)
Beyond weight loss, semaglutide has also shown potential benefits for cardiovascular health, sleep apnea and kidney disease, she noted.
“These findings highlight the need for continued research to understand tirzepatide’s broader health impacts,” she said. “It’s encouraging to see ongoing studies exploring the full potential of GLP-1 medications beyond weight management.”
Londono said these treatments can come with side effects.
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“Most people on these medications only report mild symptoms, but some have experienced more serious reactions, such as pancreatitis,” she told Fox News Digital.
“This underscores the importance of reviewing your medical history and discussing any concerns with your healthcare provider.”
Potential limitations
The study did have some limitations — chiefly that it was not a blinded analysis and participants knew which medication they were receiving. This could introduce some level of bias, the researchers acknowledged.
Londono pointed out that while the study’s findings are “promising,” it was funded by Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Zepbound.
“This may raise questions about potential conflicts of interest,” she said. “Additionally, the open-label design and 72-week duration may limit objectivity and long-term insight.”
An expert emphasized that people should work with a physician to choose a weight-loss medication that matches personal goals and health status. (iStock)
While the study primarily looked at the impact of the medications, experts agreed there are other factors that play a role in successful weight management.
“Weight loss is biological, but it’s also emotional, and whole-person support can make the difference between short-term results and sustainable health,” Dr. Rekha Kumar, chief medical officer at the weight care program Found and a practicing endocrinologist in New York City, told Fox News Digital.
Kumar emphasized the importance of working with a physician to choose a weight-loss medication that matches the patient’s personal goals and health status.
“Both Wegovy and Zepbound have demonstrated clinically significant weight reduction.”
“For example, if a patient has fatty liver, we will choose the GLP-1 that is proven to work best for liver disease,” she said.
Looking ahead, the researchers plan to investigate new versions of weight-loss drugs, including retatrutide, which mimics the hormones GLP-1, GIP and glucagon, according to the release.
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“Even though drugs like tirzepatide and semaglutide work really well, better than anything we have ever seen, we still have people who don’t respond to them,” said Aronne.
“So, moving forward, we want to keep trying to do better.”
“Across the respective clinical trial programs and in SURMOUNT-5, both Wegovy and Zepbound have demonstrated clinically significant weight reduction,” Novo Nordisk, maker of Wegovy, said in a statement. (iStock)
A spokesperson from Novo Nordisk, the company that makes Wegovy (semaglutide), sent a statement to Fox News Digital.
“Across the respective clinical trial programs and in SURMOUNT-5, both Wegovy and Zepbound have demonstrated clinically significant weight reduction,” the company said. “It is important to recognize that the comprehensive management of obesity goes beyond weight reduction alone.”
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The spokesperson also pointed out that in a previous trial, adults who were obese or overweight and who took Wegovy along with diet and exercise lost an average of 15.2% of their weight (~35 pounds) at the two-year mark, compared with 2.6% (~6 pounds) for patients taking a placebo.
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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