Pharmacists are preparing to launch around 13 new weight loss treatments in the US within the next five years due to a surge in demand for weight loss products, according to a new report from global data analysis and consulting firm Global Data.
The Zhitong Finance App learned that according to a new report from global data analysis and consulting firm Global Data, pharmaceutical companies are preparing to launch about 13 new weight loss treatments in the US within the next five years due to a surge in demand for weight loss products.
The agency said it is expected that the number of diet pills on the market will increase dramatically, reaching a peak of four models per year in 2027 and 2028. In contrast, only three products were launched between 2019 and 2023.
Demand is being driven by a sharp rise in the US obesity rate. The World Health Organization predicts that by 2030, about 50% of American adults will be considered obese, up from 42% in 2020 and 31% in 1999. At the same time, sales of diet pills are also soaring. The report shows that$Novo-Nordisk A/S (NVO.US)$Wegovy and$Eli Lilly and Co (LLY.US)$Zepbound's global sales in 2023 reached $9.7 billion.
According to GlobalData, diet drug giant Novo Nordisk is expected to launch six products within the next five years, led by Cagrisema. The product is a combination of active ingredients of Wegovy, semaglutide, and cagrilintide. It is currently in phase III testing. It is expected to be launched at the end of 2025, and sales will reach 7.4 billion US dollars by 2029.
According to Novo Nordisk's website, the second anti-obesity drug, INV-202, is undergoing phase II trials, and the new formula semaglutide is in the mid to late stages of development. Novo Nordisk is still with$GE HealthCare Technologies (GEHC.US)$The collaboration developed a peripheral-focused ultrasound therapy for obesity, which is also in phase II trials.
Novo Nordisk's main competitor in the weight loss drug competition, Eli Lilly also has big plans. According to its website, Eli Lilly has two anti-obesity drugs in phase III trials, namely orforglipron and retatrutide.
Eli Lilly also collaborates with Chinese drug developers$INNOVENT BIO (01801.HK)$An anti-obesity drug called mazdutide was developed in collaboration. In February of this year, Cinda Biotech's market application for mazdutide was examined by Chinese regulators.
Also close to commercialization are EFPeglenatide, which is being developed by Korean pharmaceutical company Hanmi Pharmaceutica, and Boehringer Ingelheim's SurvoduDide.
Other candidates for weight loss that are being developed in the midterm include$Viking Therapeutics (VKTX.US)$VK2735,$Structure Therapeutics (GPCR.US)$GSBR-1290 and$Altimmune (ALT.US)$pemvidutide,$Pfizer (PFE.US)$Danuglipron and$Amgen (AMGN.US)$AMG133, also known as MariTide.
At the same time,$ROCHE HOLDING AG (RHHBY.US)$Through the acquisition of Carmot Therapeutics, it has two early-stage drug candidates, CT-996 and CT-388.
Although the diet pills market is likely to become more crowded in the next few years, GlobalData believes there should be enough demand to support multiple market players.
GlobalData pharmaceutical analyst Jasper Morley said in the report: “Recent major product launches have shown the viability of diet pills. As the number of patients grows, the companies that make these new products are likely to be well rewarded for their efforts.”