Pfizer commits to modified version of its weight-loss drug danuglipron
Pfizer said it was moving ahead with one weight loss drug for further testing on Thursday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Pfizer Inc. announced on Thursday that it will move forward with the testing of its modified version of the once-daily weight loss drug danuglipron.
The drugmaker said it had looked at several options and picked danuglipron based on the results of its ongoing pharmacokinetic study.
In December, Pfizer discontinued a twice-daily regimen of danuglipron after patients in the study struggled with tolerating the drug in a mid-stage study.
“Obesity is a key therapeutic area for Pfizer, and the company has a robust pipeline of three clinical and several pre-clinical candidates,” Mikael Dolsten, president of Pfizer Research and Development, said in a statement.
“Following a thorough analysis of our previous Phases 2b data and trial design, we believe that with the preferred modified release formulation and future trial design optimization, we can advance a competitive oral GLP-1 molecule into registration-enabling studies, with the goal of addressing the present and persistent medical needs of people living with obesity.”
Pfizer will need to follow through with large-scale clinical trials to show that the drug is safe and effective and then submit it to the Food and Drug Administration for approval.
During a conference a June, Albert Bourla, the CEO of Pfizer said, according to CNBC, that GLP-1 drugs are just “scratching the surface of what we will see in obesity.”