Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk Develop Amylin-Based Obesity Drugs as Complement or Alternative to GLP-1s
Pharmaceutical companies Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are developing new obesity treatments based on the amylin pathway, which could serve either as standalone therapies or in combination with existing drugs like tirzepatide. These medications aim to enhance weight loss outcomes for patients who may not benefit sufficiently from GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Zepbound and Mounjaro. Lilly's experimental drug eloralintide showed promising results when combined with tirzepatide in a Phase 2 trial, achieving an average body weight reduction of 23.3% compared to 14.8% for those on tirzepatide alone over 48 weeks. Analysts anticipate significant market potential, forecasting $23.2 billion in annual sales by the end of 2035. While Lilly plans a standalone launch first and then combination therapy later this decade, it still needs to confirm these results through larger Phase 3 trials starting later this year.
Topics: amylin pathway Eli Lilly GLP-1 alternatives Novo Nordisk obesity drugs