Patients who took Eli Lilly’s (NYSE:LLY) weight loss drug Zepbound regained around half the weight they shed after stopping the newly approved treatment for a year, according to data released Monday.
The data, which represents the full results from an 88-week study funded by Eli Lilly, suggests that people have to stay on the weekly injection if they want to maintain significant weight loss.
Shares of Eli Lilly closed more than 2% lower Monday after the data was published in the research journal JAMA. The pharmaceutical giant released initial results from the same study, which was conducted by some Eli Lilly employees and some outside researchers, in July.
Zepbound, Novo Nordisk’s weight loss injection Wegovy and their blockbuster diabetes counterparts have soared in popularity, and in turn have run in short supply in the U.S. over the past year because they help patients lose substantial weight without surgery. Some Wall Street analysts believe Zepbound, which uses the same active ingredient as Eli Lilly’s diabetes drug Mounjaro, could become the best-selling drug of all time.
People who discontinue Wegovy and Novo Nordisk’s diabetes medication Ozempic have also regained weight, raising concerns among U.S. health insurers about the high costs involved with long-term coverage of the pricey drugs.
LLY shares began Tuesday down 98 cents to $583.06.
