Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) are locked in an intensifying conflict for control over the markets for weight loss and type 2 diabetes treatments. Novo Nordisk's diabetes therapy Ozempic is the leader of the pack at the moment, generating upwards of $3 billion in sales in the third quarter alone.

Eli Lilly has more than one plan in store to topple the market's leader. Let's take a look at its latest attempt to develop an Ozempic killer, and determine whether it's a factor in the investing thesis for buying the stock.

Eli Lilly's molecule tirzepatide is currently sold under the trade names Mounjaro for treating type 2 diabetes and Zepbound for treating obesity. It's a direct competitor to Novo Nordisk's molecule semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic (as well as a pair of its other products, Wegovy and Rybelsus).

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Source Fool.com