What weight loss drugs are available ?

With the change of social model and the improvement of living conditions, the base of obesity patients is getting larger and larger, and the market of weight loss products is getting larger and larger, then, what are the weight loss drugs currently available?

Weight loss drugs that has been approved

Weight loss drugs that have been approved include but are not limited to the following:

Contrave (naltrexone / bupropion)

Qsymia (phentermine / topiramate ER)

Orlistat (Alli, Xenical)

Phentermine (Adipex-P, Lomaira)

Phendimetrazine

Diethylpropion

Benzphetamine

Zepbound (tirzepatide)

Wegovy (semaglutide)

Saxenda (liraglutide)

Imcivree (setmelanotide)

We can see that there are many approved drugs to lose weight. However, among these approved drugs, peptide GLP-1 RA still occupies most of the market, and the market share is still expanding. The two GLP-1RA star peptides to lose weight are Semaglutide and Tirzepatide.

Semaglutide acts on the GLP-1 receptor and is already approved to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. By activating GLP-1 receptors, Semaglutide helps users suppress appetite, slow stomach emptying, and increase satiety, enabling users to control calorie intake more easily, leading to lose weight successfully. In clinical trials, Semaglutide users lost an average of about 15 percent (34 pounds) of their body weight after 68 weeks.

Tirzepatide gets approval after Semaglutide, also for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Compared with Semaglutide, Tirz acts on GIP receptors in addition to GLP-1R and is a double receptor agonist. By suppressing appetite, slowing stomach emptying, increasing satiety and helping users lose weight. In clinical trials, Tirzepatide users lose an average of 22.5% of their body weight (about 52 pounds) after 72 weeks.

Weight loss drugs that could be approved

Weight-loss drugs under study and with hopes of approval include, but are not limited to, the following:

Retatrutide (LY-3437943)

Amycretin

CagriSema(Cagrilintide/semaglutide)

Orforglipron

Danuglipron

APH-012

ARD-101

Ecnoglutide

Mazdutide

Survodutide(BI 456906)

VK2735

MariTide

Bimagrumab

GLP-1 RAs

GLP-1 receptor remains one of the most important areas of research for weight loss drugs, These include Retatrutide, CagriSema, Amycretin, Orforglipron, Danuglipron, Ecnoglutide, Mazdutide, Survodutide,VK2735, MariTide.

Among the above drugs under study, Retatrutide has received very high attention. Retatrutide is a triple receptor agonist for GLP-1 and GIP as well as GCG(glucagon). In clinical trials, Retatrutide users lost an average of 24.2 percent of their body weight (about 57.8 pounds or 26.2kg) after 48 weeks, both weight loss more and faster than already-approved GLP-1RA Semaglutide and Tirzepatide.

GLP-1RA for injection has had great success, and pharmaceutical companies are also actively investigating oral GLP-1 receptor agonists. Semaglutide oral application has been submitted to FDA for approval. Oral GLP-1RA under study also includes:

Amycretin, double GLP-1 and amylin agonists.

Orforglipron, GLP-1 agonist.

Danuglipron, GLP-1 agonist.

Other non-GLP-1RAs

Other non-GLP-1RA oral weight loss drugs in the pipeline for approval include the following:

APH-012, a glucose pill designed to stimulate certain parts of the small intestine, mimics the metabolic effects of gastric bypass surgery (weight loss).

ARD-101, which targets “bitter taste receptors” in the gut and activates hormones that suppress appetite.

Among the weight loss drugs under development is Bimagrumab, a biopharmaceutical that blocks activin receptors and helps promote weight loss and muscle growth. In the study, Bimagrumab helped adults with type 2 diabetes and who were overweight lose about 20 percent of their total fat mass in about 11 months (48 weeks). Their muscle mass also increased by more than 3 percent. Together, these changes resulted in a 6 to 7 percent weight loss. If approved, it would be the first drug of its kind. Muscle loss is always an important concern during weight loss. People expect to lose fat while maintaining as much muscle mass as possible. Bimagrumab increases muscle mass while reducing fat, and it is hard to imagine how popular it will be once it is approved.