Healthcare is in its GLP-1 era. Following Novo Nordisk's blockbuster success with Ozempic and Wegovy, many drugmakers are focused on developing new iterations of weight loss drugs that could come with fewer side effects and drive down costs.
At the American Diabetes Association conference in Orlando, researchers are expected to share data on 27 GLP-1 drugs in development, some of which target a different hormone, according to a June 23 NBC News report. The majority of the data set to be presented is based on animal studies or early-stage human trials, meaning most of the drugs are years away from potential FDA approval. A few, however, could be available in the U.S. within a few years, and experts are optimistic about the potential for new GLP-1 drugs that are more affordable.
"We have witnessed an unprecedented acceleration in the development of GLP drugs," Christopher McGowan, MD, a North Carolina-based gastroenterologist, told the news outlet. "We are now firmly entrenched in the era of the GLP."
One experimental drug in the pipeline, petrelinitide, was shown to reduce body weight by an average of nearly 9% at 16 weeks, according to data recently shared by the drug's maker, Denmark-based Zealand Pharma. The injectable drug mimics a hormone called amylin, which helps control blood sugar. The drug's developers believe the candidate could reduce common side effects associated with popular GLP-1 drugs, such as nausea.
On June 23, Altimmune, a Maryland-based biotech, presented data at the ADA conference showing its drug, pemvidutide, reduced patients' body weight at levels comparable to semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy. In addition to the GLP-1 hormone, the drug includes glucagon, a blood-sugar-regulating hormone that mimics the effects of exercise. It also demonstrated benefits in preserving lean body mass.
Eli Lilly, the maker of Zepbound and Mounjaro, has two more GLP-1 drugs in development, which also combine GLP-1 and glucagon.
Increasing competition in the weight loss drug arena could lead to more affordable medications and wider access, experts say. On June 24, Teva Pharmaceuticals launched the first authorized generic of Victoza, making it the first generic GLP-1 product available in the U.S.