Pfizer CEO vows to "All in" on weight loss drugs, challenging "Nolevo" giants

Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer (PFE.US), stated on Monday at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference that the company is "fully committed" to developing its experimental weight loss drug and has been actively recruiting more experts in the field. Bourla said the experts were helping Pfizer "make better, more rational decisions" and that the company could potentially start its late-stage studies of the drug, danuglipron, later this year. Pfizer is currently testing a once-daily, multi-dose weight loss drug, after the company previously abandoned its development of a twice-daily drug at the end of 2023. "At this point, I'm very cautious about danu," Bourla said, adding that Pfizer expects to receive data from its dose testing study "within a few months" after conducting numerous experiments. Through this drug, Pfizer aims to provide patients with a more convenient alternative to injectable drugs that currently dominate the weight loss treatment market, such as Eli Lilly's (LLY.US) Zepbond and Novo Nordisk's (NVO.US) Wegovy. Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are also developing their own oral weight loss drugs. Some analysts predict that these drugs could generate annual sales of over $150bn by the early 2030s. "We expect our drug to be competitive," Bourla said, adding that if Pfizer can successfully complete its development, its drug could be the second oral weight loss drug to reach the market after Eli Lilly's. An acquisition of an injectable GLP-1 drug would not be in Pfizer's interest because "it might be a bit too late," Bourla stated. Wegovy and Zepbound are both GLP-1 receptor agonists, which lower blood sugar levels and increase feelings of fullness to help control appetite and weight. Bourla said Pfizer is "considering" acquiring all drugs outside the category, including injectable and oral drugs with different mechanisms, because the company "has the ability to develop and sell" them. #End of Polished Translation