To eliminate a major drawback of the current weight-loss medicines, biotech companies are entering the field as pioneers to change the obesity market by focusing on the issue of muscle wasting. Well-known drugs such as Zepbound and Wegovy, classified as GLP-1 agonists, have proved to be very successful in the area of helping people lose fat. A worrying trend has emerged and it is the loss of lean mass which includes the bones, organs, and muscles at the same time.
The research reveals that 20 to 50% of the weight shed by GLP-1 drugs is from muscle mass, which carries some health risks. Likewise, a study on Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide, which is the basis for Wegovy, showed that the patients lost 23 pounds of fat and 15 pounds of muscle during 68 weeks, where almost 40% of the weight loss was from muscle.
In this recognition, biotech companies are innovating new methods of retaining muscle mass, while encouraging fat loss. The $1.93 billion acquisition of Versanis Bio by Eli Lilly, one of the major players in the weight loss drug market, recently concluded. The main drug, bimagrumab, has been demonstrated to be effective in a mid-stage study, which decreased by 21.9% fat mass and increased by 4.5% of lean muscle mass in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, after 48 weeks.
Moreover, Lilly is collaborating with BioAge Labs, studying the possible role of azelaprag in muscle regeneration and significant weight loss, without the gastrointestinal side effects that may be caused by GLP-1-based drugs.
Biohaven is a biotech company that is advancing this field with its drug taldefgrobep alfa, a treatment that spurs muscle growth. Biohaven began its studies with spinal muscular atrophy but will start a Phase 2 study using taldefgrobep alfa as a weight-loss drug where its efficacy in both solo and combination with GLP-1-based drugs will be tested.
These advancements suggest a change in the weight-loss drugs market paradigm, which is aimed at resolving the problem of muscle loss and providing patients with more effective and sustainable options. As the competition among companies to get their slice of the estimated $100 billion to $150 billion weight-loss market increases, preserving muscle mass becomes a pivotal issue for the development of the next generation of treatment.
The experts underline the necessity of a holistic approach, which involves more than weight loss and deriving ultimate goals for maintaining the weight. While the industry waits with bated breath for more novel interventions, these solutions could well alter the future of weight-loss drugs, and provide a healthier balance between aesthetics and outcomes for millions of people across the globe. Be ready for the breakthroughs in the field that continues to evolve and make leaps forward.
