NEEDLES, PENS AND PRESSURE THE GLP-1 CHALLENGE

As GLP-1 therapies transform diabetes and obesity care, demand for prefilled pens and injectors is soaring. Pharma-device collaborations, analytical innovation, and sustainable design will be key to tackle the growing device bottleneck

- Kalyani Sharma

The rapid global adoption of GLP-1 based therapies, developed for diabetes and now also used for weight management, has reshaped the pharma landscape.

Drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide are seeing a surge in demand. However, this is creating a critical bottleneck in the supply of the active drug itself, but also in the availability of the medical devices to administer it.

The essential components of these therapies include prefilled pens, cartridges and autoinjectors. The surge in usage and prescriptions is pushing manufacturers to scale up production. As the global pharma prepares for the entry of generic versions, once the key patent expires, the device ecosystem's planning and strategy on its readiness will define how accessible and sustainable this revolution will be.

The global weight loss drug boom

The last few years have witnessed a dramatic transformation in the perception and uptake of GLP-1-based therapies. Once confined to diabetes management, these drugs are now leading a new era of metabolic care.

Selena Yu, Senior Medical Analyst, GlobalData explains, “Rising global rates of obesity and type II diabetes, coupled with growing public awareness of GLP 1R agonists, are fueling expansion in the weight loss drug market. Originally developed for patients with type II diabetes (with or without obesity), GLP-1R agonists are increasingly prescribed for obesity alone. Public interest has surged since 2019—Google searches for ‘Ozempic’ peaked in August 2025.”