The blazing success of weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro has electrified the pursuit of new treatments for obesity. For now, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are leading the market with injectable drugs that target receptors of the GLP-1 hormone to mimic the hormone’s effects of helping people feel full. But dozens of companies are also jumping into the race, seeing the potential to make millions of dollars if they can bring to market medications that are oral, longer-lasting, avoid side effects, or provide additional benefits besides weight loss.
Many of these drugs are also targeting receptors of GLP-1, as well as other hormones involved in satiety and metabolism, but some are using entirely novel mechanisms.
STAT has created a new database to track the significant obesity drugs that are on the market and in development. The tracker, which will be updated with developments each quarter, gives a sense of what new mechanisms could hit the market, how they would be taken and how often, and which companies are running the most trials.