Factbox: Pfizer's weight loss ambitions hit roadblock

OPKO Health

01/12/2023 13:05

(Adds details on Pfizer, Altimmune, and Lilly's weight-loss
drugs)
       Aug 8 (Reuters) - 
    Pfizer  PFE.N  
    said
     on Friday it was stopping further trials of a twice-daily
version of its oral weight-loss drug, danuglipron, dealing a
blow to its hopes of becoming an early contender in a market
that is likely to be worth $100 billion by the end of the
decade. 
  
        The decision comes after most patients in a mid-stage
trial dropped out with high rates of side effects such as nausea
and vomiting.
  
        Pfizer  PFE.N , Eli Lilly  LLY.N  and Danish drugmaker
Novo Nordisk  NOVOb.CO  are among dozens of drugmakers that are
rushing to grab a slice of the lucrative market for obesity
treatments, which could also include oral options in the future.
    The following is a list of companies targeting the next big
blockbuster opportunity: 
     
    NOVO NORDISK
    Novo Nordisk  NOVOb.CO  said a large study had shown its
highly effective obesity drug, Wegovy, also had a clear
cardiovascular benefit. 
    The drugmaker in June reported late-stage trial data from a
high-dose oral version of its drug, semaglutide, helping
overweight or obese adults lose 15% of their body weight in a,
which was in line with recent results for other experimental
obesity pills.
    Novo Nordisk's weekly injection Wegovy, known as Ozempic
when used for diabetes, was approved in 2021. 
    The company also has an older product Saxenda, approved in
2014, but Wegovy is considered safer and more effective.
    
    ELI LILLY
    Eli Lilly's weight-loss therapy, Zepbound, got the green
light from U.S. and UK regulators recently, paving the way for a
powerful new rival to Novo's Wegovy.   
    Lilly's drug, chemically known as tirzepatide, has been
available as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes since 2022 and was
used "off-label" for weight loss while its approval was pending.
    Lilly said a mid-stage trial of its next-generation obesity
drug candidate, a once-weekly injection of retatrutide, showed
it led to a weight loss of up to 24.2% after 48 weeks.
  
    
    PFIZER
    Pfizer's decision comes after it scrapped the development of
its once-a-day pill in June due to concerns over liver safety. 
    The company said it would instead focus on a once-daily,
modified release version of danuglipron. Data on how this
version interacts with the human body is expected next year.
        The drug, however, met the main goal of reducing weight
in adults with obesity and without type 2 diabetes in the
current mid-stage study.
  
        
  
    AMGEN    
    Amgen's  AMGN.O  experimental obesity drug, AMG133, showed a
mean weight loss of 14.5% after 12 weeks of treatment at the
highest monthly dose.
      
    ALTIMMUNE
    Altimmune  ALT.O  said its drug candidate, pemvidutide,
helped reduce weight by 15.6% on average and showed continued
weight loss at the end of treatment in a mid-stage trial.
    However, patients also experienced nausea and vomiting of
mild and moderate severity. 
    
    VIKING THERAPEUTICS
    Viking Therapeutics Inc's  VKTX.O  drug, VK2735, showed up
to 6% reduction in mean weight in an early-stage study.
    The company plans to test higher doses of the drug over a
longer treatment window in a mid-stage trial. 
    
    ZEALAND PHARMA 
    Denmark's Zealand Pharma  ZELA.CO  and Boehringer
Ingelheim's experimental obesity treatment achieved up to 14.9%
weight loss in a mid-stage trial on Wednesday.
    
    OPKO HEALTH
    Opko Health  OPK.O  has completed a mid-stage trial of its
obesity drug, pegapamodutide, which it expects will have fewer
side effects.

 (Reporting by Mariam Sunny, Pratik Jain and Sriparna Roy in
Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Anil D'Silva)
 ((Mariam.ESunny@thomsonreuters.com;))