Pfizer is buying Metsera for $4.9 billion to gain promising new obesity drugs. The portfolio includes four clinical treatments, like once-a-month shots and future oral pills, aiming for better efficacy and easier patient use to fight the growing obesity epidemic.
The "Wegovy in a pill" (oral semaglutide 25 mg) shows huge promise for weight loss! Patients lost an average of 16.6% body weight, comparable to the injection. It's the first oral GLP-1 for weight management, offering convenience, and awaits FDA approval.
Novo Nordisk is boosting its weight-loss efforts! They'll seek US approval for a high-dose Wegovy to match Lilly's Zepbound and are developing a pill version. They're also testing a new compound, cagrilintide, to regain market leadership.
Novo Nordisk's Wegovy showed a 57% greater heart attack/stroke/death risk reduction vs. Eli Lilly's GLP-1s (Mounjaro/Zepbound) in overweight/obese patients with cardiovascular disease but no diabetes. This suggests unique heart benefits for semaglutide, potentially increasing insurance coverage.
Eli Lilly's orforglipron showed positive results in its second Phase 3 obesity trial, achieving a weight loss of 9.6% at the highest dose. With a consistent safety profile, global regulatory submissions are imminent, aiming for 2026 approval.
Lilly's new oral GLP-1, orforglipron, shows 11-12.4% weight loss in late-stage trial, short of Zepbound and Wegovy. Easier to produce and distribute than injectables, it targets wider patient access. FDA submission this year.
