Pfizer Halts Obesity Drug Development Due to Safety Issues
This latest decision marks yet another challenge for Pfizer as it endeavors to establish its footprint in the obesity drug sector.
Pfizer has halted the development of its once-daily oral weight-loss drug, danuglipron, after a potential liver injury was detected during clinical trials.
“While we are disheartened to discontinue the development of danuglipron, we remain dedicated to evaluating and advancing promising programs in an endeavor to provide innovative new treatments for patients,” stated Chris Boshoff, Pfizer’s chief scientific officer and president of research and development.
Pfizer also announced plans to submit data from the danuglipron clinical program for publication in a peer-reviewed journal or to present it at a forthcoming scientific forum.
This decision represents yet another hurdle for Pfizer as it attempts to secure a position in the rapidly expanding obesity drug market, projected to surpass $100 billion by the decade’s end. This market has become crucial to Pfizer’s strategy following the COVID-19 pandemic as revenues from vaccine and antiviral sales continue to decline.
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Danuglipron, similar to other medications within its category—like Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound—is classified as a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It functions by triggering insulin release in response to increased blood sugar levels and by slowing gastric emptying, thereby curbing appetite. Pfizer anticipated that an effective and more convenient oral formulation would allow danuglipron to secure a competitive edge in a market currently dominated by injectable treatments.
Among approximately 1,400 participants, up to 73 percent of those receiving treatment experienced nausea, while 47 percent reported vomiting and 25 percent endured diarrhea, according to Pfizer. Discontinuation rates for the trial exceeded 50 percent across all dosage formats, contrasting with 40 percent in the placebo group.
