Pfizer (PFE), a leading global biopharmaceutical company, is going “all in” on the development of its experimental obesity drug, danuglipron. During his address at the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference, CEO Albert Bourla emphasized that Pfizer is intensifying its focus on this promising therapy and has been expanding its team of experts to ensure better decision-making as it advances toward late-stage clinical trials.
Bourla revealed that Pfizer aims to begin a late-stage study of danuglipron in the second half of this year, after completing multiple dose-testing studies. The company is focusing on a once-a-day version of the drug, having discontinued the twice-daily formulation in late 2023. Despite these advancements, Bourla remained cautious, stating that more data from these studies will be available in a few months.
The weight-loss market, currently dominated by injectable drugs like Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, has significant growth potential. Pfizer’s oral drug, if successful, could provide a more convenient alternative to these injectable treatments. In a highly competitive landscape, where analysts predict a $150 billion annual market by the early 2030s, Bourla remains confident that Pfizer’s pill will have a competitive profile, potentially making it the second oral weight-loss drug to reach the market after Eli Lilly’s offering.
While Pfizer is not pursuing an acquisition of injectable GLP-1 drugs, Bourla expressed that the company is “looking at everything” and is open to exploring other injectable and oral treatments with different mechanisms. Pfizer’s robust capabilities in drug development and commercialization position it well to capitalize on opportunities in this burgeoning market.
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