Pfizer, with two promising oral late-stage glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1-RA) candidates in hand, has decided which one it will advance into further clinical studies for the potential treatment of adults with obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
Moving forward, the company will continue advancing the clinical program for danuglipron (PF-06882961), subject to results from the ongoing phase 2 trial, and discontinue the clinical development of lotiglipron (PF-07081532).
The decision to terminate the lotiglipron program is based on pharmacokinetic data from phase 1 drug-drug-interaction studies and lab measurements of elevated liver enzymes in those studies as well as in an ongoing phase 2 study.
Pfizer said it will instead focus on advancing its first full agonist oral GLP-1-RA candidate, danuglipron, which is currently in a fully enrolled phase 2 trial. Danuglipron is the largest oral, small molecule GLP-1-RA clinical development program underway with over 1,400 participants enrolled for the treatment of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
The drugmaker expects to finalize plans for the danuglipron late-stage program by the end of 2023 and also is developing a once-daily modified release version.
Weight loss drugs have been a rising star sector for pharma, with more than 5 million people receiving prescriptions for them in 2022 — a 2,082% from 2019.
