In the pharmaceutical world, there’s a big competition to create the best obesity drugs, currently dominated by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Many companies are developing new drugs they claim could be better than Novo’s Wegovy and Lilly’s Zepbound, either by being more effective, easier to use, or having fewer side effects.
In the next six months, important data will be released about these new drugs, giving us a glimpse of the future of this market. Right now, Lilly and Novo are the main players, but that could change.
Lilly is testing its drug, Zepbound, against Novo’s Wegovy to see which works better for weight loss. Initial results show Zepbound might help people lose more weight. However, it hasn’t yet proven it can prevent heart problems like Wegovy has. Lilly is working on a study for this, but results won’t be available until next year.
Novo is also testing a new drug, cagrisema, which combines the active ingredient in Wegovy with another compound to boost its effects. Results from this test will be available later this year.
Amgen, not typically known for this type of drug, is developing a new obesity drug called maritide. It’s designed differently from others and is given as a monthly shot. Phase 2 results are expected by the end of the year.
Some companies are working on obesity pills, believing people will prefer them over injections. Roche has bought a company to develop such pills and is currently running tests.
There’s also concern about weight loss drugs causing muscle loss, not just fat loss. Some companies are looking into drugs that could help preserve muscle mass during treatment.
Finally, researchers are exploring other ways to treat obesity, such as blocking certain receptors in the body. However, early attempts have not been very successful.
Overall, the next few months will provide crucial insights into who might lead the obesity treatment market in the future.