Weight Loss Drugs May Help Suppress Cancer, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly Experience Positive Impact

Four new studies to be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting suggest that GLP-1 class drugs such as Novo Nordisk's Ozempic (semaglutide) and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro (tirzepatide) may be associated with better treatment outcomes for cancer patients.

The largest study, from the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Institute, followed over 10,000 early-stage cancer patients. The results showed that the lung cancer progression rate for GLP-1 drug users was about 10%, compared to 22% in the control group, a reduction of nearly 50%; the progression rate for breast cancer also dropped from 20% to 10%; colorectal and liver cancers also showed statistically significant decreases.

Two other studies focusing on breast cancer also sent positive signals. MD Anderson Cancer Center's analysis of over 137,000 patients showed that the five-year survival rate for GLP-1 users was over 95%, compared to 89.5% for non-users. A study from the University of Pennsylvania found that women who had used GLP-1 drugs had about a 25% lower risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer, a difference that remained after controlling for age, weight, and other risk factors.

As for the potential mechanism of action, the scientific community currently has two hypotheses: one is that GLP-1 drugs indirectly reduce cancer risk by promoting weight loss and improving metabolic health; the other is that GLP-1 receptors exist on the surface of some tumor cells, and the drugs may directly act on the biological processes of cancer itself.

The commercial significance for Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly cannot be underestimated. Both companies' GLP-1 drugs have been approved to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes and are being tested for effectiveness against sleep apnea and addictive behaviors. If approved for cancer indications, it would greatly expand the potential patient pool and provide stronger clinical evidence for insurance reimbursement, further supporting the high pricing of these drugs.

However, researchers have clearly pointed out that the existing evidence only shows a correlation, not a causal relationship. All four studies are retrospective observational studies that rely on insurance claims records and medical databases; patients who use GLP-1 drugs often have better access to medical resources, an inherent bias that is difficult to completely eliminate. Currently, neither Novo Nordisk nor Eli Lilly has initiated specific clinical studies for cancer indications, and the final confirmation still relies on randomized controlled trials.