Comparative Study of Weight Loss Injections: Monjaro vs. Ozempic
A recent study published in the journal 'JAMA Internal Medicine' has revealed that patients who took Eli Lilly's new 'Monjaro' treatment experienced significantly greater weight loss compared to those who took Novo Nordisk's 'Ozempic'. The research analyzed electronic health records of over 18,000 American patients from May 2022 to September 2023.
The average age of the participants was 52 years, with more than 70% being female and an average baseline weight of 110 kilograms. Approximately 52% of the patients had type 2 diabetes. Both medications, Monjaro and Ozempic, belong to the GLP-1 analogues class, which mimic a naturally occurring hormone to help people feel full. However, Monjaro showed superior effectiveness in all weight loss categories.
Results and Effectiveness
The study found that 82% of individuals who took Monjaro achieved a weight loss of 5% or more, compared to 67% for those who took Ozempic. Additionally, Monjaro led to a 10% or more weight loss in 62% of patients, while only 37% of Ozempic users reached this milestone. The average weight loss after 12 months was 7% higher for patients on Monjaro than those on Ozempic.
Both drugs also have potential side effects, including indigestion, dizziness, and a slightly increased heart rate. Severe but rare events such as intestinal obstruction and pancreatitis have been reported. Despite these side effects, GLP-1 analogues can reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and some obesity-related cancers.
Monjaro received FDA approval in 2022, whereas Ozempic has been approved since 2017. The study's findings underscore the need for more research to compare the effects of these medications on other health outcomes, such as heart-related events.
- The study conducted by Truveta, a health data analytics company, also highlighted that the average weight loss was consistently greater among those taking Monjaro over time. For instance, after three months, Monjaro users lost an average of 6% of their body weight compared to less than 4% for Ozempic users.
- At six months, the average weight loss was 10% with Monjaro and 6% with Ozempic. After one year, the average weight loss was more than 15% for Monjaro users, compared to 8% for Ozempic users.
- The FDA has approved higher doses of both Monjaro and Ozempic for treating weight loss, but the study focused on doses for type 2 diabetes. The researchers noted that people with type 2 diabetes had less significant weight loss than those without the diagnosis, but Monjaro still led to greater average weight loss.
- The study did not track mild gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, but found similar risks for serious adverse events like intestinal obstruction and pancreatitis between the two drugs.
- Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic, argued that the comparison was unfair as the semaglutide doses evaluated were not intended for chronic weight management. More research is needed to compare the effects of Monjaro and Ozempic on other key health outcomes.
