Anti-Obesity Drugs Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The anti-obesity drugs market is expected to register a CAGR of 15% over the forecast period, 2022-2027.

During the COVID-19 situation, it was observed that obesity had increased exponentially. As per an article published by the European Journal of Nutrition in December 2020, the rate of obesity has increased in the world. The major reason is a change in lifestyle and a decrease in exercise practice among people as they avoided gym and yoga classes due to the social distancing protocols. Similarly, according to the article published in the Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism in August 2021 titled "A global country-level analysis of the relationship between obesity and COVID-19 cases and mortality" obesity prevalence is a significant and potentially modifiable risk factor for increased COVID-19 national caseload and mortality. This increase in the obese population and COVID-19 mortality is expected to drive the demand for anti-obesity drugs in the near future.

According to the World Health Organization's report published in June 2021, 39 million children under the age of 5 years were overweight or obese in 2020. One in five children and adolescents globally are overweight. Incidences of obesity have been increasing fiercely over the past decades, and it is often described as a global endemic, especially in developed countries where lifestyle-related disorders, such as anxiety, stress, smoking, and drinking, are more prevalent.

Owing to the increase in the obesity population worldwide, the key players in the market are also undergoing product developments and seeking market approvals. For instance, in December 2020, Novo Nordisk submitted a marketing authorization application to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) seeking approval for a once-weekly semaglutide for weight management. Similarly, in January 2021, Novartis AG announced the results of its Phase II trial of the investigational product drug called Bimagrumab. The drug has shown potential for the indication of obesity. The drug is currently being studied in the Novartis pipeline. This may result in new treatment options, boosting market growth over the forecast period.

In addition, research on several potential drug molecules that target both obesity and Type 2 diabetes mellitus has become a key trend among the anti-obesity market players. The increasing epidemic of obesity and Type 2 diabetes is encouraging researchers and vendors in the market to research drugs that can counter both obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Hence, the increasing obese population and rise in unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyles are expected to drive the market growth over the forecast period.

However, the availability of alternative therapies and the potential side effects of anti-obesity drugs are expected to restrain the market growth.

Key Market Trends

The Prescription Drugs Segment is Expected to Exhibit a Better Growth Rate over the Forecast Period

By drug type, the prescription drugs segment is expected to hold a significant market share. In the current COVID-19 scenario, various companies have been exploring new classes of medicines that help people lose weight and control diabetes as a potential in fighting the pandemic disease, as COVID-19 has severe consequences in the obese population. In September 2020, Novo Nordisk AS announced that it is performing research on the GLP-1 drug used for obesity in COVID-19 patients. Such research and development activities are expected to propel the demand for prescription drugs. Moreover, the rising intake of junk foods/fast foods is resulting in declining health among the population worldwide, leading to an increase in the prevalence of obesity, especially in some developed parts of the world. For instance, according to the Eurostat report in July 2021, more than half (53%) were overweight (36% pre-obese and 17% obese) in Europe. Furthermore, aged 75 years or over, the older the age group, the higher the share of overweight people: the lowest share was recorded among those aged 18 to 24 (25%), while those aged 65 to 74 had the highest share (66%)

In June 2020, China Medical System Holdings signed a USD 400 million-plus agreement for Chinese commercialization rights to US biotech company Gelesis Inc.'s prescription obesity management product, Plenty. All these developments by the players, coupled with increasing awareness of prescription medicine, are anticipated to boost the growth of the prescription drugs segment.

North America is Expected to Dominate the Market over the Forecast Period

North America is expected to dominate the global anti-obesity drugs market. The primary factors driving the growth of the market studied are the increase in the obese population and high healthcare spending.

In September 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notified that adult obesity prevalence is increasing and racial and ethnic disparities persist owing to the current circumstances of work from home, less physical activities, and financial and other stress among the adult population. The CDC stated that obesity remains high, and currently, twelve states have an adult obesity prevalence at or above 35%, including Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia, which is high as compared to 2018, when nine states reported 35% obese population.

Also, according to the finding of the CDC in 2017-2018, the age-adjusted prevalence of obesity in adults was 42.4%, and there were no significant differences between men and women among all adults or by age group. Also, as per the data published by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, in Canada, 59.1% of the population aged 15 years or more was obese, whereas, in Mexico, 75.2% of the population aged 15 years or more was obese in 2017- 2018.

The high obesity rate has always attracted key players to make developments in the region. For instance, in 2020, Kintai Therapeutics, a US-headquartered company, announced that it was working across therapeutic areas and is beginning IND-enabling studies for its first potential therapeutic for the treatment of obesity. The first drug candidate is KTX-0200, which has demonstrated sustained weight loss and improvements in other markers of health in animal models. The launch of these pipeline products and the increasing geographic footprints of the players are expected to propel the market growth in this region.

Competitive Landscape

The presence of major market players, such as GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Novo Nordisk AS, Pfizer Inc., F Hoffmann-La Roche AG, and Bayer AG, is increasing the overall competitive rivalry of the market. The key players are focused on inorganic growth strategies such as collaborating with successful personalities and initiatives or programs at the national levels which promote their products. Therefore, these are recognized earlier than other brands in the market studied. With the high prevalence rate of the disease, the intensity of competitive rivalry is moderate to high.

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