Searching for a weight-loss drug but don’t like the idea of an injection? Pfizer may soon be able to help.
The pharmaceutical company announced Thursday it’s advancing development of its GLP-1 receptor agonist in pill form, to be taken orally once daily instead of injected weekly like popular FDA-approved GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.
GLP-1 receptor agonists are a class of medications that mimic the actions of the hormone GLP-1, which helps the body lower blood sugar levels. The drugs were originally developed to treat diabetes, and though they are still used for that purpose, many have become increasingly popular as weight-loss treatments.
Currently, popular GLP-1 drugs include Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic and Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound, all weekly injections. Wegovy and Zepbound are FDA-approved to treat obesity weight loss management, while Ozempic and Mounjaro are approved to treat adults with Type 2 diabetes.
Yet to enter the highly lucrative GLP-1 …