Raising questions about Big Pharma’s rush to cash in on the multi-billion-dollar obesity market, a pharmaceutical giant has halted an experimental weight loss pill due to critical health concerns.
Specifically, Pfizer’s latest setback comes after a patient developed liver injury during clinical trials, forcing the company to terminate the development of its once-daily GLP-1 pill danuglipron.
The pharmacetical’s abandonment of danuglipron marks the company’s third failed attempt to break into the lucrative obesity drug market currently dominated by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.
The decision followed the discovery of a patient who developed signs of liver injury during clinical trials.
Still, the company noted the patient’s liver enzymes returned to normal after discontinuing the medication.
This latest failure raises serious concerns about pharmaceutical companies possibly rushing weight loss treatments to market without adequate safety testing.
Pfizer had previously discontinued a twice-daily version of danuglipron due to patient tolerance issues.
Just last year, it also scrapped another once-daily obesity pill due to similar liver enzyme problems.
The weight loss drug market is projected to be worth over $150 billion by the early 2030s.
It has become a frenzied battleground for pharmaceutical companies seeking to capitalize on America’s obesity epidemic.
Despite its setbacks, Pfizer remains determined to capture a slice of this enormous market.
The company is currently focusing on its experimental drug PF-07976016, which uses a different approach by blocking the GIP receptor instead of mimicking the GLP-1 hormone.
“While we are disappointed to discontinue the development of danuglipron, we remain committed to evaluating and advancing promising programs in an effort to bring innovative new medicines to patients,” said Dr. Chris Boshoff of Pfizer.
Meanwhile, smaller companies like Viking Therapeutics saw their stock prices surge following Pfizer’s announcement.
Viking’s experimental weight-loss injection, VK2735, is expected to begin Phase III studies soon. It follows promising 13-week weight loss results and a good tolerability profile.
This development could potentially position the company as a takeover target for larger pharmaceutical firms desperate to enter the obesity market.
For American consumers seeking effective weight loss solutions, this development underscores the importance of being cautious when considering new pharmaceutical treatments.
Pfizer’s string of failures in the weight loss market comes at a critical time for the company, which has been seeking new avenues for growth following declining demand for its COVID-19 products.
The company claims its focus remains on cancer drugs for long-term growth, but the obesity market clearly represents a tempting opportunity the pharmaceutical giant is reluctant to abandon despite repeated setbacks.
Currently, Novo Nordisk’s Rybelsus is the only FDA-approved oral GLP-1, which treats Type 2 diabetes rather than obesity.
As pharmaceutical companies continue their rush to capture market share in this booming sector, American consumers would be wise to approach these emerging weight loss treatments with healthy skepticism.
