Several Pharma Giants Vie for Next-Gen Obesity and Diabetes Therapies

Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, can truly be described as a “breakout star”—not only has it won the favor of Elon Musk, but it was also named the number one scientific breakthrough of 2023 by Science magazine. That same year, it became the best-selling prescription drug in the U.S., catapulting its maker, Novo Nordisk, into the spotlight: its U.S. market capitalization briefly exceeded $600 billion, surpassing the renowned luxury goods giant LVMH and becoming the most valuable European company by market value.

However, scientific progress knows no bounds. Although these “miracle weight-loss drugs” have demonstrated outstanding efficacy in treating type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and weight management, there remains room for improvement in terms of therapeutic effectiveness, safety profile, and ease of administration.

To solidify its leadership position, Novo Nordisk is pursuing a dual-track strategy: advancing oral formulations while striving to push the limits of efficacy.

Currently, most GLP-1 receptor agonists on the market are peptide-based and require injection, which somewhat limits their clinical application and patient acceptance. In early 2025, Novo Nordisk announced the full commercial launch of the world’s first oral semaglutide (brand name: Rybelsus) in China, making the dream of “taking a pill instead of a shot” a reality domestically. According to Pfizer’s projections, the GLP-1 market is expected to reach approximately $90 billion by 2030, with oral formulations anticipated to capture around 30% of that market share.

Novo Nordisk’s “powerhouse combination,” CagriSema—comprising semaglutide and Cagrilintide (a long-acting amylin analog)—has also proven to be highly effective in sustained weight loss. At this year’s American Diabetes Association (ADA) meeting, compelling data were presented: in a phase III clinical trial involving non-diabetic overweight or obese individuals, CagriSema achieved an average weight loss of 20.4% after 68 weeks, significantly outperforming semaglutide monotherapy.

Meanwhile, Eli Lilly, another leader in the GLP-1 space, is addressing the challenge of muscle loss commonly associated with GLP-1-based weight-loss therapies. In July 2023, Lilly acquired Versanis Bioscience for $1.925 billion, gaining access to its lead asset, Bimagrumab (ActRIIA/B antibody). By blocking the ActRII pathway, Bimagrumab holds the potential to promote fat metabolism while inhibiting muscle atrophy, thereby helping obese patients improve body composition and metabolic health during weight loss. Data presented at the ADA meeting showed that combining Bimagrumab with a GLP-1 receptor agonist can achieve both top-tier muscle preservation and weight-loss effects.

The second half of the GLP-1 race is now characterized by three key trends: innovations in drug delivery methods, optimization of long-acting treatment regimens, and the ability to control muscle loss. Enhancing basal metabolic rate to achieve more durable and healthier weight management has become a central direction for the next generation of GLP-1 therapies.

Call for Partners: Obesity and Diabetes Drug Development

The Business Development (BD) team at DrugTimes, acting on behalf of several global pharmaceutical companies, is urgently seeking products with weight-loss or glucose-lowering effects, across all molecular modalities—small molecules, peptides, proteins, or oligonucleotides. We especially welcome candidates that address unmet clinical needs, including but not limited to:

Dual effect of weight loss and muscle preservation/gain;

Effective prevention of weight regain;

Long-acting therapeutic profile.

We prefer candidates at the PCC (Preclinical Candidate) to Phase I clinical stage, or from Phase III through to regulatory approval.

If you have a suitable project, please contact the DrugTimes BD team as soon as possible. We look forward to collaborating with you to explore licensing (License) or co-development (Co-Development) opportunities. Let’s meet the challenges together and create a new era in obesity and diabetes therapeutics!

Project Code: DTD-032