As Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk cement their dominance in the obesity treatment market, emerging competitors are drawing significant attention. This surge of interest stems from the evolving role of obesity treatments, which are now seen as pivotal technologies capable of redefining metabolic disease management beyond mere weight control.
Industry reports suggested on Thursday that Metsera is attracting the most attention as the frontrunner among emerging companies in the treatment of obesity. Metsera’s pipeline, centered on next-generation obesity drugs including long-acting and oral formulations, has garnered considerable interest. Their once-monthly subcutaneous injection (SC) formulation, MET-233i, recently demonstrated promising weight loss efficacy and safety in early clinical trials.
Metsera’s clinical trial, involving 80 adults with non-diabetic obesity or overweight conditions, revealed impressive results. Participants receiving weekly MET-233i injections showed an 8.4% reduction in body weight compared to the placebo group after just 36 days. The high-dose group (1.2 mg) achieved a remarkable maximum weight loss of 10.2%. Notably, the effects of a single dose persisted for over four weeks.
While Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk focus on treatments mimicking glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secreted in the small intestine post-meals, Metsera’s MET-233i takes a different approach. It’s an amylin analog, released from the pancreas in conjunction with insulin. This unique mechanism has sparked high expectations for MET-233i’s potential as both a standalone therapy and in combination with GLP-1 analogs, especially given the current dominance of GLP-1 analogs in obesity treatments.
At the recent American Diabetes Association (ADA) conference in Chicago, held from June 20 to 23, Metsera unveiled promising results for another candidate, MET-097i, a long-acting GLP-1 analog. In a 12-week trial with weekly dosing, MET-097i demonstrated a maximum weight loss of 11.3% compared to placebo. Metsera plans to release combined clinical data for MET-233i and MET-097i by year-end, potentially showcasing a powerful dual approach to obesity treatment.
The obesity treatment race is heating up globally. In China, companies like Innovent Biologics and Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine are making significant strides. According to Shinhan Securities, Innovent’s Mazdutide showed promising results in its Phase 3 trial in May this year, with the highest dosage group achieving an average weight loss of 13.4% over 32 weeks. The drug is currently under review by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), with approval anticipated this year.
On the South Korean front, Hanmi Pharmaceutical is emerging as a notable contender. Their Phase 1 clinical results for HM15275, a once-weekly triple-action drug targeting GLP-1, GIP, and GCG, were presented at the ADA. The high-dose group showed an average weight reduction of 4.81% compared to the placebo, with some participants experiencing a weight loss of up to 10.64%. Hanmi aims to advance to Phase 2 trials within the year, further solidifying its position in this competitive field.
Han Yong Hee, an analyst at Growth Research, offers a bullish outlook on the sector. Han explains that obesity treatment technology is no longer just about weight loss, but is evolving into a core technology that could revolutionize standards for treating metabolic diseases. Han predicts the market could balloon to hundreds of billions of dollars, forecasting a decade of robust investment and strategic partnerships in the industry.