'Evolving "Panacea" Obesity Treatments...Global Pharmaceutical Companies Join the Race'

As the 'GLP-1' obesity treatment expands its therapeutic scope to other chronic diseases, competition for developing new drugs containing this ingredient is heating up in the domestic and international pharmaceutical industries.

GLP (glucagon-like peptide)-1 is a hormone secreted by the pancreas along with insulin that regulates blood sugar levels. Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk developed a diabetes treatment using GLP-1 (product name Ozempic) and discovered that this ingredient acts on the stomach and brain to suppress appetite, leading to its commercialization as an obesity treatment (Wegovy).

However, as this drug was prescribed to obese patients, additional benefits were found, such as improvements in cardiovascular diseases and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease caused by obesity through weight loss. Initially developed as an endocrine disease treatment (diabetes → obesity), its indications have continuously expanded to internal medicine diseases such as circulatory (cardiovascular diseases) and digestive (fatty liver) disorders, resulting in explosive growth in Novo Nordisk's global sales. Observing this, pharmaceutical companies worldwide are now competing to develop 'GLP-1 new drugs' themselves.

In Korea, Hanmi Pharmaceutical is the frontrunner. Hanmi Pharmaceutical recently received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a Phase 1 clinical trial plan of a GLP-1-based obesity treatment combination drug (development code HM15275). This drug acts on a total of three receptors, including glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), which mitigates GLP-1 side effects, and glucagon, which is involved in lipid metabolism regulation. It is being developed not only for obesity but also for various diseases such as muscle loss during weight reduction, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Hanmi Pharmaceutical will disclose related preclinical research results at the upcoming American Diabetes Association (ADA) conference next month. The company is also conducting Phase 3 clinical trials for another GLP-1-based obesity treatment simultaneously.

Dong-A ST recently received FDA approval for a Phase 1 clinical trial plan for a GLP-1-based obesity treatment being developed through its U.S. subsidiary NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals. Since both Hanmi Pharmaceutical and Dong-A ST's products are under development as new drugs, significant sales contributions are expected in the future through technology exports or independent commercialization.

Other domestic pharmaceutical companies are developing GLP-1-based obesity treatments that are convenient to administer. Wegovy requires patients to visit the hospital once a week for injections in the upper arm, abdomen, or thigh. In response, Ildong Pharmaceutical is developing an oral medication, Daewoong Pharmaceutical is developing a microneedle patch applied to the skin, and Yuhan Corporation is developing a long-acting injectable. HK inno.N recently acquired a GLP-1-based new drug candidate from China.

From the pharmaceutical companies' perspective, expanding indications for obesity treatments not only broadens market access but also increases the possibility of health insurance coverage. When a drug is covered by health insurance, the market grows explosively. Health authorities in various countries generally view obesity treatment as 'cosmetic.' However, prescriptions for chronic diseases caused by obesity, such as cardiovascular diseases and fatty liver, can be recognized as 'disease treatment.' In fact, Wegovy was listed on the U.S. federal public insurance after the FDA acknowledged its effect in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in obese patients.

Novo Nordisk's GLP-1 class treatment 'Wegovy (active ingredient Semaglutide)'
[Photo by Novo Nordisk]

Goldman Sachs forecasted that the global obesity treatment market will grow from $6 billion (approximately 8 trillion KRW) last year to $100 billion (approximately 136 trillion KRW) by 2032. The steep growth trend is also proven by actual performance. Wegovy recorded sales of 9.377 billion Danish kroner (approximately 1.849 trillion KRW) in the first quarter of this year, a 107% increase compared to the same period last year. Eli Lilly's GLP-1 obesity treatment, Zepbound, recorded sales of $517.4 million (approximately 700 billion KRW) within four months after its launch in November last year. Both drugs are experiencing supply shortages due to surging demand, so faster growth is expected once production facilities are expanded.

Consequently, other global pharmaceutical companies are also stepping up to challenge 'GLP-1.' Amgen's new drug candidate Maritaide, currently in Phase 2 clinical trials, is a representative example. When Amgen announced in its first-quarter earnings report that the interim analysis results of the Phase 2 trial were very encouraging, its stock price surged 14% on the same day. Unlike Wegovy or Zepbound, which require weekly injections, Maritaide improves convenience by requiring only monthly injections.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.