Competition to develop obesity treatments among global pharmaceutical and biotech corporations is intensifying.
From the 12th to the 15th (local time) in Istanbul, Türkiye, at the European Congress on Obesity 2026, global corporations unveiled a slew of data on next-generation obesity drugs.
Analysts say the obesity drug market is shifting from injectables to high-dose and oral (pill) options, and expanding from simple weight loss to maintenance effects, minimal muscle loss, and dosing convenience.
◇ "28% reduction" high-dose Wegovy… Novo Nordisk strikes back
At the congress, Novo Nordisk drew attention from the medical community by releasing clinical results for high-dose Wegovy (7.2 mg).
According to a post hoc analysis of the STEP UP trial, about 27% of patients given Wegovy 7.2 mg were classified as "early responders" who lost at least 15% of body weight within 24 weeks of treatment. They recorded an average 27.7% weight reduction at week 72. Even patients who were not early responders saw an average 15.4% weight loss.
In an MRI subgroup analysis, 84% of the lost weight was fat, and visceral abdominal fat decreased by more than 30%. Muscle mass fell somewhat, but actual muscle function was maintained similarly to the placebo group.
Novo Nordisk also disclosed data for oral (pill) Wegovy (semaglutide 25 mg). In the OASIS 4 trial, early responders showed an average 21.6% weight reduction at 64 weeks.
In particular, the company said that in an indirect comparison analysis, oral Wegovy showed greater weight-loss efficacy and a lower likelihood of treatment discontinuation than rival Eli Lilly and Company's oral GLP-1 drug "Orforglipron."
◇ Lilly counters with "maintenance therapy"
Eli Lilly and Company, which launched Mounjaro (global brand name Zepbound), focused on post-weight-loss maintenance strategies at this congress. The move is seen as targeting concerns about "rebound (yo-yo effect)," a representative limitation of GLP-1 class drugs.
Lilly released results evaluating whether low-dose (5 mg) therapy could maintain weight-loss effects after high-dose "zepbound (tirzepatide)" treatment. The clinical trial involved patients who had been treated at the maximum dose of 10 mg or 15 mg for about 60 weeks and then underwent maintenance therapy.
In the results, patients whose average weight had fallen to 196.2 pounds (about 89 kg) after maximum-dose therapy saw a slight increase to about 208.6 pounds (about 94.6 kg) after 52 weeks of 5 mg maintenance therapy. This means the rebound in weight was limited. Lilly said it applied an analysis set that excluded patients with poor treatment adherence.
Lilly said that when the oral obesity drug "Foundayo (Orforglipron)" was used as a maintenance therapy, patients switching from zepbound gained only about 5 kg, and those switching from Novo Nordisk's Wegovy gained only about 0.9 kg.
Kenneth Custer, president of Lilly's cardiovascular and metabolic diseases institutional sector, said, "Because obesity is a chronic disease that requires long-term treatment, patients need a variety of therapeutic options they can stick with for a long time," and noted, "We are focused on offering multiple choices tailored to the patient's weight-loss journey."
◇ "We're up next"… intense chase for obesity drugs
Latecomer corporations are also speeding up development. To catch up with existing obesity drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro (zepbound), they are focusing on superior weight-loss effects and minimizing muscle loss.
One of them is U.S. biotech corporation Viking Therapeutics. The company unveiled phase 2 results for its oral obesity drug candidate "VK2735" at the congress. VK2735 is a dual agonist that simultaneously stimulates GLP-1 and GIP receptors, and is being developed in two formulations: an oral pill and a subcutaneous (SC) injection.
In a phase 2 trial involving 280 adults with obesity or overweight, VK2735 showed an average 12.2% (about 12.1 kg) weight reduction at the highest dose (120 mg) over 13 weeks of dosing. The injectable is currently in phase 3. Viking CEO Brian Lian said, "VK2735 has the potential to be the first oral GLP-1/GIP dual agonist."
Among domestic corporations, Hanmi Pharmaceutical is moving the fastest. The company has launched an organizational restructuring and a companywide task force to commercialize the GLP-1 class obesity treatment "Efpeglenatide" within the year.
The company views obesity not as a simple weight issue but as a complex metabolic disease involving diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and is pursuing label expansions and diverse formulations. It is also developing follow-up pipelines, including a triple agonist, a candidate to curb muscle loss, and an oral pill.
HK inno.N is also in pursuit. The company aims to complete dosing in a domestic phase 3 trial within the year for IN-B00009 (ecknoglutide), a GLP-1 class drug. JW Pharmaceutical is pushing to enter phase 3 trials for obesity and type 2 diabetes indications of bopanglutide (GZR18), in-licensed from China's Gan & Lee.
Companies entering oral drug development include Ildong Pharmaceutical and D&D Pharmatech.
ID110521156, a candidate from Unovia, a subsidiary being absorbed and merged into Ildong Pharmaceutical Group, has completed phase 1. D&D Pharmatech transferred six candidates using its oral peptide platform technology "ORALINK" to its U.S. partner Metsera. Of these, two (MET-224o, MET-097o) are in phase 1.
Celltrion is taking on a two-track approach to develop a superior obesity drug to existing GLP-1 single and dual agonists, targeting a quadruple agonist and an oral pill. It is currently in the preclinical stage, with plans to submit an investigational new drug (IND) application in 2027.
Current obesity drugs on the market are administered as once-weekly injections or taken daily. Competition is heating up to extend drug action and improve dosing convenience.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical has initiated a phase 1 clinical trial for DWRX5003, a microneedle patch-type obesity treatment. Peptron is developing PT403, a once-monthly long-acting injectable, and Inventage Lab and Yuhan are jointly pursuing development of a once-monthly injection.
Samsung Bioepis joined the obesity drug race in March by signing a deal with G2GBIO to secure exclusive development and commercialization rights for two obesity treatment candidates, including long-acting "semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy)."