Global pharmaceutical companies have successively abandoned the development of next-generation obesity treatments. They have sought to modify their strategies after failing to secure better competitiveness than existing obesity medications in the research and development process.
U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer officially announced on the 6th (local time) that it will halt the development of the obesity treatment candidate 'PF-0695422,' which mimics glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormones. Pfizer began clinical phase 1 trials for PF-0695422 in 2023.
The company noted, "This decision is based on a comprehensive consideration of clinical phase 1 data and the current competitive landscape of the obesity treatment market," adding that "this halt is unrelated to side effects such as liver toxicity."
The global obesity treatment market is led by Denmark's Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and U.S. Eli Lilly's Zepbound (marketed as Maunja in Korea). Both are drugs that mimic GLP-1 hormones. This hormone is secreted in the small intestine after meals, increasing insulin production in the pancreas, lowering blood sugar levels, and inducing a feeling of fullness in the brain.
Previously, Pfizer faced a series of failures in the development of other obesity treatments. In late 2023, the oral GLP-1 receptor 'lotiglipron,' developed as an oral drug, was halted after elevated liver enzyme levels were confirmed during clinical trials, and another oral GLP-1 class obesity medication 'danuglipron' was also stopped in April after potential liver damage was identified in clinical phase 2b.
Currently, the only official obesity drug that Pfizer is developing is 'PF-07976016,' which is in clinical phase 2. This treatment works by blocking the metabolic action of gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), leading to weight loss and improved glucose metabolism. GIP is a hormone that promotes insulin secretion and fat accumulation.
Pfizer had also hoped to combine the GIP blocker with its own developing GLP-1 class obesity drug, but this plan was abandoned due to the halting of the development of GLP-1 class drugs.
On the same day, Novo Nordisk announced that it had decided not to proceed with the follow-up development of 'NNC0519-0130,' which was being developed as a dual-action agent for GLP-1 and GIP. This follows their earlier halt of the development of a once-monthly GLP-1 and GIP dual-action agent last year, and now they have also withdrawn plans for a weekly obesity treatment.
Earlier, the company completed clinical phase 2 trials for NNC0519-0130 in June. The company explained, "After 36 weeks of treatment, there was a statistically significant difference in weight reduction compared to the placebo, achieving the primary endpoint, but this decision was made considering portfolio strategy."
Industry analysts believe that global pharmaceutical companies' decision to abandon obesity drug development and revise their strategies underscores the difficulty of developing groundbreaking new drugs that surpass the sensation caused by Wegovy and Zepbound in the obesity drug market.