Weight Loss Medication Statistics

GLP-1 prescriptions for weight management (not diabetes) have grown nearly 20x since 2019, driven by the approval of Wegovy (2021) and Zepbound (2023). Non-diabetic prescriptions jumped 1,961% in five years.

The global GLP-1 market tripled between 2022 and 2024. Two companies, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, control virtually the entire market, though 25+ companies are developing competing products.

• Novo Nordisk total 2024 sales: ~US$41B (290.4B DKK), 26% growth at constant currencies.
• Eli Lilly Q3 2025 revenue: US$17.6B, 54% YoY growth, driven primarily by Mounjaro and Zepbound.
• Novo Nordisk's market cap exceeded the entire GDP of Denmark in 2024.
• Wegovy revenue doubled from ~US$4.4B (2023) to ~US$8B (2024).

In 2018, semaglutide accounted for just 5% of GLP-1 prescriptions. By 2023, it held 63%. As of late 2025, tirzepatide has become the most prescribed GLP-1 for both diabetes and obesity indications.

• Saxenda (liraglutide for weight loss) dropped from 79% of weight loss GLP-1 Rx (2018) to 9% (2023).
• 2.45 million patients were prescribed a GLP-1 RA between Jan 2018 and Sep 2025 in the Truveta dataset, totalling 12.2 million prescriptions.
• Tirzepatide is now the most prescribed GLP-1 for both diabetes and obesity indications as of September 2025.

Clinical trials enrol carefully selected, closely monitored participants. In everyday practice, lower adherence, earlier discontinuation, and suboptimal dosing mean patients typically lose about half the weight seen in pivotal trials.

One-year persistence with weight loss GLP-1s has nearly doubled from 33% in 2021 to 61% in 2024, likely driven by resolving drug shortages, better side effect management, and expanded insurance coverage. But only 14% remain on Wegovy after 3 years.

• Median time to discontinuation: 279 days for semaglutide (Ozempic), 120 days for liraglutide (Saxenda).
• Semaglutide (Ozempic) had the best 1-year persistence at 47.1%; liraglutide (Saxenda) had the worst at 19.2%.
• Probability of discontinuation drops dramatically after the first 6 weeks (early GI side effects period).
• Patients prescribed by endocrinologists or obesity medicine specialists were more likely to stay on treatment.
• Top reasons for stopping: cost, side effects, perceived goal reached.
• 63% of Wegovy/Zepbound starters in early 2024 remained on therapy at 1 year, up from 40% in 2023.
• GLP-1 treatments showed over twice the odds of discontinuation due to adverse events compared with placebo in trials.

GLP-1 use for weight loss skews heavily female. Among non-diabetic users, approximately 80% are women. Usage is highest among 50 to 64 year olds, and 1 in 4 GLP-1 prescriptions are for patients without a diabetes diagnosis.

• 1 in 4 GLP-1 prescriptions are for patients without a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
• GLP-1 injectable use was higher among those with greater BMI.
• Usage was highest among 50-64 year olds (33.3%) and lowest among 65+ (20.8%).
• Among diabetic patients, those already taking insulin (31.3%) or oral glucose-lowering medications (28.1%) were more likely to also use a GLP-1 injectable.
• 8-10% of Americans are currently taking GLP-1s; 30-35% are interested in using them.

Monthly costs vary dramatically by country, insurance status, and medication type. In Australia, no weight loss medication is PBS-subsidised for the obesity indication, leaving patients to pay $300 to $500+ per month privately.

The current Novo Nordisk / Eli Lilly duopoly is expected to face increasing competition from 2027 onwards. At least 25 companies are developing GLP-1 and related molecules, with several in late-stage trials showing weight loss exceeding current approved options.

• Pfizer acquired Metsera for US$10B in late 2025 after its internal GLP-1 candidate was discontinued.
• AstraZeneca, Zealand Pharma, Roche, and Amgen are all expected to enter the GLP-1 market between 2027 and 2032.
• Ozmosi predicts 1-2 new GLP-1 launches annually starting in 2026.
• UBS forecasts 40 million people globally on GLP-1s by 2029, with 44% in the US.
• The oral GLP-1 market is a new frontier: Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill launched Jan 2026; Eli Lilly's orforglipron is expected mid-2026.