Approved and in the Pipeline
The treatment of obesity is a complex and rapidly evolving field, with several drugs on the market and many more in various stages of development. The current therapies focus on multiple mechanisms such as suppressing appetite, influencing metabolism, and affecting fat absorption. There is also a strong focus on developing targeted therapies for specific genetic or molecular causes of obesity.
The Big Ones
There are really only two Blockbuster Drugs currently on the market: semaglutide (Wegogy and Oaempic) and the newest entry, tirzepatide (Zepbound and Mounjarno). Here is what we know about them…
All the approved obesity drugs
| Trade or Brand Name | Generic Name (nonproprietary | Company | Type of Drug | Mechanism of Action | Approved | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alli, Xenical | Orlistat | GSK, Roche | lipase inhibitor | Inhibits fab absorption in the intestines | FDA – 2007 | Available OTC (Alli) & perscription (Xenical) |
| Qsymia | Phentermine-Topiramate | VIVUS, Inc | sympathomimetic amine + anticonvulsant | Combination drug that suppresses appetite and has effects on metabolism | FDA – 2012 | |
| Contrave | Naltrexone-Bupropion | Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. | antidepressant + opioid antogonist | Combination drug affects the CNS to reduce hunger | FDA – 2014 | |
| Saxenda | Liraglutide | Novo Nordisk | injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist | GLP-1 receptor agonist | FDA – 2020 | |
| Wegovy | Semaglutide | Novo Nordisk | injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist | GLP-1 receptor agonist | FDA -2012 | |
| Zepbound | Tirzepatide | Eli Lilly | injectable GLP-1 and GIP receptors dual agonist | dual GLP-1 and GIP receptors agonist | FDA – 2023 |
Obesity Drugs in the Pipeline
| Generic | Company | Type of Drug | MOA | Approved | Clinical Trials | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (nonproprietary) | ||||||
| setmelanotide | Rhythm Pharmaceuticals | melanocortin-4 receptor agonist | melanocortin-4 receptor, this drug is in development for rare genetic disorders associated with obesity | NCT03013543 | ||
| tesofensine | NeuroSearch (Danish) | serotonin-norepinephrine-dopamine receptor inhibitor | inhibits the uptake of neurotrasnsmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine | |||
| bimagrumab | Novartis | mononclonal | targets a receptor that blocks skeletal muscle growth, | NCT03005288 | ||
| tirzepatide | Eli Lilly | dual GINCT04184622 and GLP-1 receptor agonist that aims to control appetite and improve glycemic control | FDA-Late 2023? | NCT04184622 | ||
| retatrutide | Eli Lilly | triple-hormone-recptor agonist | NCT05929066 NCT05882045 NCT05929079 NCT05931367 NCT05936151 | Jastreboff AM, Kaplan LM, Frías JP, Wu Q, Du Y, Gurbuz S, Coskun T, Haupt A, Milicevic Z, Hartman ML; Retatrutide Phase 2 Obesity Trial Investigators. Triple-Hormone-Receptor Agonist Retatrutide for Obesity – A Phase 2 Trial. N Engl J Med. 2023 Aug 10;389(6):514-526. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2301972. Epub 2023 Jun 26. PMID: 37366315. |