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Pfizer announced plans to move a reworked, once-daily version of its weight-loss pill danuglipron into clinical trials later this year. This follows the discontinuation of a twice-daily version of the drug late last year due to high dropout rates and adverse side effects.
The new formulation is part of the second generation of weight-loss medications under development by pharmaceutical companies, including Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, aiming to provide a more convenient alternative to injectable treatments.
Pfizer has not provided a specific timeline for the drug's development. The company plans to evaluate multiple doses of the reformulated drug in the second half of this year before advancing it to clinical trials.
Last year, Pfizer shifted its focus to the development of the new version of danuglipron after discontinuing the twice-daily version. The earlier formulation saw high rates of side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, leading to significant patient dropout in mid-stage trials.
Additionally, Pfizer had previously halted the development of another daily weight-loss drug, lotiglipron, due to safety concerns related to elevated liver enzyme levels in some patients.
JP Morgan analyst Chris Schott noted that Eli Lilly's experimental weight-loss pill has a significant time-to-market advantage over Pfizer's candidate. He also expressed concerns regarding the side effect profile of Pfizer’s drug, stating, "I see a limited role for the asset absent more clarity on the tolerability profile of the new formulation."
Early study results from Pfizer indicated that the new once-daily formulation did not result in elevated liver enzyme levels in more than 1,400 healthy adult volunteers.
GLP-1 receptor agonists, initially developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, mimic the action of the GLP-1 hormone, which regulates blood sugar, slows gastric emptying, and suppresses appetite.
Other companies developing next-generation weight-loss drugs include Amgen and Viking Therapeutics.
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