Phat

It's kind of strange that GLP-1 weight loss drugs were developed by studying the "Gila Monster"

It's kind of strange that GLP-1 weight loss drugs were developed by studying the venomous saliva of a lizard called the "Gila Monster" because in 1959 there was a horror movie "The Giant Gila Monster" whose hunger drove a gigantic, mutated lizard to attack a small town.

Eli Lilly is "now the most valuable pharmaceutical company in the entire world," says financier and philanthropist David Rubenstein at The Economic Club in Washington D.C. during his interview with CEO David A. Ricks of Eli Lilly, the producers of anti-weight loss drug Zepbound.

"We think, and we aim to prove, [that these medicines] can be useful for other things," says Ricks. "These are often called anti-hedonics, so they are reducing desire cycle. So next year, you'll see Lilly start large studies in alcohol abuse and nicotine use, even drug abuse." Adding he states: "I mentioned my excitement about brain health. I think that's really the next frontier to make a big difference."

The success of weight loss drugs and their prospect to help addictions beyond food continued to generate a frenzy in the marketplace this year. The consumer demand also led to continued shortages, triggering the growth of compounding pharmacies and affiliated telehealth companies who are filing the gap by providing less expensive versions of popular medicines like Zepbound.

(To date, The FDA Shortage List indicates that semaglutide injections remain in shortage but tirezpatide does not, an issue that led Outsourcing Facilities Association, a compounding trade association, to file suit against the FDA.)

Notable telehealth companies that connect consumers to physicians to provide weight loss drugs include Ro, and Hims & Hers (whose success has led it to purchase its own compounding pharmacy) as well as Sesame, whose chief medical officer is Marty Makary, President Trump’s nominee for FDA Commissioner.

According to the Biden Administration, which has proposed to expand drug coverage under Medicare and Medicaid to include anti-obesity drugs, "an estimated 42 percent of the U.S. population has obesity, which is now widely recognized as a chronic disease, with increased risk of all-cause mortality and multiple related comorbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, some cancers, and more."

Craving market growth, Pfizer has introduced its long-lasting, once-a-day pills; newcomer Neurogastrx has raised millions for studies; GLP-1 gene company Fractyl and Kailera’s CEO Ron Renaud have emerged as biotech leaders; and cash flush Novo Nordisk, the creators of Wegovy, announced its move into regenerative medicine.

The question remains, however, if America's obsession with weight loss drugs will affect ultra processed food manufacturers, and how the continued use of these anti-hedonic drugs—that regulate the release of dopamine and dampen one's ability to feel pleasure—will affect mental health conditions and other aspects of human behavior.

All Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3kHGmqqo7c

https://www.statnews.com/2024/11/24/makary-sesame-compounded-weight-loss-drugs-semaglutide-fda-shortage-list/

https://www.hims.com/

https://ro.co/

https://sesamecare.com/

https://www.kailera.com/

https://www.fractyl.com/

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01548-4/fulltext

https://laskerfoundation.org/winners/glp-1-based-therapy-for-obesity/

https://dps.fda.gov/drugshortages/searchresult?type=tirzepatide

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/drug-shortages