Lilly’s Mounjaro shows cardiovascular benefits in diabetes study

NEW YORK - Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY), a prominent player in the pharmaceuticals industry with a market capitalization of $682 billion and impressive revenue growth of 36% over the last twelve months, announced Thursday that its diabetes drug Mounjaro (tirzepatide) demonstrated non-inferior cardiovascular outcomes compared to Trulicity (dulaglutide) in patients with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease.

In the SURPASS-CVOT trial, Mounjaro showed an 8% lower rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE-3) compared to Trulicity, meeting the primary objective of non-inferiority. The trial also revealed a 16% lower rate of all-cause mortality for patients taking Mounjaro.

The study, which enrolled more than 13,000 participants across 30 countries and lasted over four and a half years, is the largest and longest trial of tirzepatide to date.

Additional findings showed Mounjaro provided greater improvements in A1C levels, weight reduction, and kidney function compared to Trulicity. Patients taking Mounjaro experienced a 1.73% reduction in A1C versus 0.90% with Trulicity, and weight loss of 12.06% versus 4.95% with Trulicity at 36 months.

"The SURPASS-CVOT results show that Mounjaro preserved the cardioprotective benefit of Trulicity, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, while providing additional benefits," said Kenneth Custer, executive vice president and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health, according to the company’s press release.

The safety profile remained consistent with previous findings, with gastrointestinal-related events being the most common side effects for both medications. Treatment discontinuation rates due to adverse events were 13.3% for Mounjaro versus 10.2% for Trulicity.

Detailed results will be presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting in September. Lilly plans to submit the data to global regulatory authorities by year-end. The company’s strong financial position, with a gross profit margin of 81.7% and a healthy balance sheet, positions it well to continue advancing its pharmaceutical pipeline. According to InvestingPro, analysts maintain a bullish outlook on Eli Lilly, with multiple upward earnings revisions for the upcoming period. Discover 12 more exclusive InvestingPro Tips and comprehensive financial analysis in our detailed Pro Research Report, available with an InvestingPro subscription.

Mounjaro is currently approved for adults with type 2 diabetes and, under the brand name Zepbound, for adults with obesity or overweight with weight-related conditions. The company’s stock currently trades near InvestingPro’s Fair Value estimate, reflecting market confidence in its growth trajectory and strong product portfolio.

In other recent news, Eli Lilly has been in the spotlight with several significant developments. The company announced that its Alzheimer’s treatment, Kisunla, received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, recommending it for early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, Eli Lilly successfully completed its tender offer for Verve Therapeutics, acquiring approximately 55.7% of Verve’s outstanding shares. Shareholders who tendered their shares will receive $10.50 per share in cash, along with a contingent value right that could provide up to an additional $3.00 per share.

In the realm of clinical trials, Eli Lilly’s pirtobrutinib showed positive results in a Phase 3 trial for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, demonstrating non-inferiority compared to Imbruvica. On the financial front, BMO Capital raised its price target for Eli Lilly to $920 from $900, maintaining an Outperform rating. This increase reflects confidence in Lilly’s orforglipron, which is nearing commercialization. BMO Capital also reiterated its $900 price target in a separate note, highlighting potential early interim analysis for Eli Lilly’s presymptomatic Alzheimer’s trial. These recent developments underscore Eli Lilly’s active engagement in advancing its pharmaceutical pipeline.

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