New Era of Obesity Drug Development

Webinar Overview

There has never been a more exciting and promising time in pharmacological research in obesity. It is now broadly accepted that obesity is not just the lack of willpower but a complex chronic disease, with increased morbidity and mortality, that can be managed with the right treatment. Over the past decade or so, gut hormone-based drug development targeting obesity and type 2 diabetes indications, and combinations of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) with other gut hormones (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), glucagon, amylin, etc.) as dual or triple agonists or other complementary mode of action, have increased rapidly. Semaglutide and, most recently, tirzepatide have demonstrated that a 2-digit weight loss at 1 year is achievable and the phase II data with retatrutide suggest that 100 % of patients can now achieve the 5 % weight loss that was targeted in the past. The next stage in obesity research needs to bring affordable and accessible drugs that can lead to selective fat loss, preservation of lean body mass and long-term weight maintenance. As with many other chronic diseases, combination therapies with complementary modes of action will be required to successfully treat patients with obesity.

The objective of this webinar is to discuss the potential next steps in drug development in obesity. Dr. Filozof will start by introducing the size of the health burden, the history of drug development and the current pipeline in this indication. She will also bring an update of the current methodologies to assess body composition. Dr. Ravussin will discuss the potential additional targets, beyond energy intake, to complement and improve the quality of weight loss and its maintenance. He will present the methodologies that can be used to assess different components of energy expenditure and explain the concept of metabolic adaptation and the potential physio-pathological mechanisms involved. Additionally, he will discuss the implications of the changes in EE and metabolic adaptation in long term weight maintenance. Finally, he will bring an update of brain imaging and how it can help to understand eating behavior and neurocognitive measures in obesity. Last, but not least, Dr. Peter Alfinito will discuss current challenges and mitigations strategies for future clinical trials in obesity.

Keywords: Obesity clinical trials, obesity drug development, Body composition, Energy expenditure, Fat oxidation, Energy metabolism, GLP1, GIP, GG agonists, Semaglutide.

Who Should Attend: This webinar is designed for, drug developers, healthcare professionals, patient advocacy groups, and anyone interested in the advancement of obesity drug development.

What will you learn:

• Understanding Obesity's Health Burden and evolution of drug development in obesity
  • Introduction to the magnitude of obesity's health impact, the historical context of drug development, and the current pipeline for obesity treatment
• Methodologies used to evaluate body composition in the context of obesity research
• Exploration of potential additional targets beyond energy intake to enhance weight loss quality and maintenance, including methodologies to assess energy expenditure and the concept of metabolic adaptation and its impact in long term weight management
• Insight into current challenges in obesity clinical trials and strategies to mitigate these challenges for future research efforts