The Multifaceted Future of Pharma – Chapter 4: Therapeutic Areas to Watch
Treatments for obesity are taking the drug development world by storm. Our experts point to GLP-1s as a key area to watch, alongside mRNA, digital therapeutics, Alzheimer’s, aging, and more.
We asked: What has/have been the key disruptor(s) driving the industry over the past ten years, and how will this change in the next 10 years?
Obesity, Personalized Medicine and New Trial Approaches – with Sarah Browne, Vice President, Clinical Development, Altimmune
“Rather than a one-size fits all approach to drug design and development, personalized therapies and treatment regimens tailored to the unique needs of patients have become a cornerstone of modern healthcare. A great example of this is the industry’s innovation in obesity. As a multifactorial disease, obesity has historically been a challenging condition to treat because of the complex interplay of genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. However, the development of new therapies that mimic naturally occurring hormones in the body has revolutionized obesity management – improving patient outcomes and bringing a renewed focus on treating obesity as a chronic disease rather than a lifestyle issue.
“In the next 10 years, the obesity drug development landscape will continue to evolve as we place even greater emphasis on patient-centric approaches to develop therapies with enhanced tolerability and enable more precise targeting of obesity-related pathways, leading to treatments that are more effective for specific patient subgroups – addressing cardiovascular health, liver health, metabolic health, and more.
“I also expect we’ll see the integration of emerging tools and technologies, such as AI and wearable technologies, into clinical trials to enable accessible and equitable approaches to research and innovation. Integrating AI into clinical trials can drive enhanced efficiency from the patient selection and enrollment process to more robust measurement of clinical endpoints. In preserving invaluable time and resources, while bolstering non-invasive measurement capabilities, these improvements stand to reduce the costs associated with traditional drug development. We can also leverage new technologies to implement decentralized clinical trials. Such trials would allow us to reach a broader, more diverse range of patients including those who may have been previously undertreated and understudied because of limited access to healthcare and research trials.”
Oral GLP-1 Drugs: Less Cost, More Access – with Hayley Crowe, EVP and GM Global Life Sciences, Ecolab
“GLP-1 drugs – like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound – have taken the world by storm. They address a significant unmet medical need with proven, almost universal effectiveness, which has created a blockbuster scenario. However, many patients still cannot access these drugs or choose not to use them due to factors such as cost, availability, or a dislike of needles. There is growing interest in making these drugs more accessible, and one potential solution is developing them in pill form.
“Novo Nordisk already offers a low-dose oral GLP-1, which has shown promising results in late-stage trials for a higher-dose oral version. While smaller than traditional biologics, they share similar bioavailability challenges. Ensuring a reliable supply chain will also be crucial to meet patient demand. This must be managed to keep costs affordable for both payers and patients while allowing manufacturers to protect their margins and recoup their investments.
“Early estimates suggest that oral GLP-1s could be priced 25 percent lower than injectables if they reach the market. Over the next decade, if the pharmaceutical industry succeeds in developing non-injectable biologics, it could lead to a significant transformation, providing broader access and lower costs for patients.”
