Advances in Obesity Drugs Aim for Better Results with Fewer Side Effects
London, Thursday, 13 February 2025.
New therapies surpass Ozempic and Wegovy, promising greater weight loss and fewer adverse effects, signaling a significant shift in obesity treatments.
The Next Wave of Weight Loss Medications
The obesity drug landscape is undergoing a remarkable transformation, with over 100 anti-obesity medications currently in development [1]. This surge in research and development comes as the global market for anti-obesity drugs is projected to exceed US$100 billion by the end of this decade [1][3]. The success of current treatments like semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and tirzepatide has spurred pharmaceutical companies to innovate further, with many seeing significant potential for growth in this sector [3].
Addressing Current Treatment Limitations
While existing treatments have shown promise, they face significant challenges. Current GLP-1 medications require weekly injections and can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, with efficacy issues affecting 10-30% of users [1]. A concerning statistic reveals that almost 65% of obese patients discontinued their treatments, with less than half resuming therapy [3]. These limitations have driven researchers to explore new approaches that could offer better outcomes with improved tolerability.
Promising Developments on the Horizon
Several breakthrough treatments are showing exceptional promise. CagriSema, a combination therapy, has demonstrated an impressive average body weight loss of nearly 23% in a 68-week phase III trial [1]. Novo Nordisk plans to file for regulatory approval of CagriSema in early 2026 [5]. Additionally, Eli Lilly’s retatrutide has achieved even more remarkable results, with an average weight reduction of 24% over 48 weeks, setting a new benchmark for obesity treatments [1].
Innovation in Drug Delivery and Research
Researchers are actively exploring alternatives to weekly injections, including once-monthly injectables and oral options. Eli Lilly’s orforglipron has shown promising results, achieving weight loss of up to 15% in a phase II, 36-week study [1]. The field is also expanding into new areas of research, with companies like Moonwalk Biosciences investigating the epigenetics of weight regulation [3]. As stated by Louis Aronne, an obesity specialist at Weill Cornell Medicine, ‘We’re going to see that there are different medicines that work better for different groups of people’ [1].