Pharma's Obsession With Obesity On Rise

Obesity is a rapidly growing global health issue. According to the World Obesity Federation, approximately one billion people worldwide will be affected by obesity by 2030. Obesity has become big pharma’'s latest obsession, with significant interest and investment in this space. Both big pharma and small startups are jumping into the race, investing billions in combating obesity. Let's delve deeper into what's driving the appetite for obesity drugs.

- Ayesha Siddiqui

Novo Nordisk gained approval for semaglutide, branded as Wegovy, for chronic weight management in 2021. Eli Lilly followed in 2023 with tirzepatide, marketed as Zepbound. These drugs were an instant hit, to the extent that the companies struggled to keep up with the demand. The blazing success of weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound has fueled intense interest in new obesity treatments. There are a total of 124 drugs in development for obesity: 61 in phase 1, 47 in phase 2, 7 in phase 3, and 8 already on the market, according to IQVIA.

While Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk lead the market, other major players such as Amgen, Roche, AstraZeneca, and Boehringer Ingelheim have also joined the fray. Zealand Pharma and Boehringer Ingelheim have collaborated on survodutide, a drug targeting GLP-1 and glucagon, showing promising early results. It is currently undergoing phase 3 studies. Amgen's leading obesity candidate, AMG 133, has demonstrated promising results in early trials. The firm is now planning phase 3 trials.

Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche made its foray into the weight loss sector by acquiring the American biotech Carmot for $2.7 billion. This acquisition added three clinical-stage obesity programmes to Roche's portfolio, including CT-388, an injectable GLP-1, and CT-996, an oral GLP-1.

Pfizer, despite shelving its late-stage candidate due to significant side effects, remains optimistic about advancing next-generation obesity drugs.

Obesity is described as a trillion-dollar healthcare issue, and a $100 billion dollar market opportunity for pharma companies, making it a lucrative revenue stream for big pharma, which is forever in search of blockbuster drugs.