Spotlight on … obesity

Abstract

Tapping into the obesity market has become one of the greatest challenges of the pharmaceutical industry. Obesity is a global epidemic and, together with its associated diseases of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, is set to become one of the greatest healthcare burdens affecting society. Given the sheer numbers of patients needing treatment, obesity should be a multi-billion dollar revenue earner, but Thomson Reuters Forecast indicates that the market is shrinking, due to challenges in developing agents with an acceptable risk/benefit profile. This review discusses the problems besetting the pharmaceutical industry, as key products are withdrawn from the market, and reveals the potential major players that could turn the market around. The fluidity of the current market outlook means that the deals landscape has also transformed through necessity. Covered by this article is an in-depth critique of licensing, as companies strive to invest in the potentially profitable obesity drugs of the future