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34 INTERNATIONAL AWEMainta
Pfizer Sets Sights on Lucrative Weight
Loss Drug Market Amid Pandemic Fallout
PFIZER, looking to offset declining demand for its Covid
products, aims to tap into the burgeoning weight loss
drug market, projected to reach $90 billion. The success
of Pfizer’s foray hinges on the upcoming data release for
its experimental obesity pill, danuglipron, a crucial factor
in competing against industry leaders Eli Lilly and Novo
Nordisk.
The weight loss drug industry saw significant growth with
weekly obesity and diabetes injections from Eli Lilly’s
Mounjaro and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic. These
companies are now racing to develop oral pills for these
conditions.
Investors await Pfizer’s phase two trial data on its twice-
daily pill for obese patients without diabetes, expecting it to
match Eli Lilly’s once-daily pill’s weight loss efficacy. Pfizer
is also set to release trial data on a more competitive once-
daily version of danuglipron early next year.
Pfizer sees a substantial opportunity in GLP-1s, a class of
drugs mimicking gut hormones to suppress appetite, with
CEO Albert Bourla projecting a potential market of $90
billion. With a roughly 40% share price drop this year, Pfizer
aims to capture $10 billion of this segment with its oral
Diamars, 14 November 2023
treatment.
Investor confidence in Pfizer’s weight loss endeavors waned
after the discontinuation of its experimental once-daily pill
due to elevated liver enzymes. The remaining twice-daily
danuglipron is perceived as less convenient, contributing to
diminished enthusiasm on Wall Street.
Encouraging trial results could revitalize Pfizer’s standing,
following the positive trajectory of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.
Analysts stress that Pfizer’s drug needs to demonstrate
effectiveness comparable to Eli Lilly’s pill, which achieved a
14.7% weight loss in phase two trials.
As analysts await Pfizer’s phase two trial data, questions
arise about the once-daily version’s efficacy and safety
profile. Physicians favor once-daily pills over twice-daily
options, and patient adherence is a concern with the latter.
A once-daily version could address potential side effects
and improve patient tolerability.
While Pfizer aims for a pivotal late-stage trial for the once-
daily version in 2024, questions linger about its readiness
for potential FDA approval. The release of trial data will be
a critical juncture for Pfizer, influencing its trajectory in the
competitive weight loss drug market.