At a top obesity-medicine gathering in New Orleans, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Pfizer outlined a broader future for GLP-1 therapies, signaling a shift from current injections to pills and less frequent dosing, while also exploring amylin-based approaches and other targets. The companies told doctors and investors at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions that the market could evolve well beyond Wegovy, Zepbound and the Wegovy pill, with new formats designed to improve convenience and broaden access.
Lilly and Novo Nordisk each showcased GLP-1 pill developments introduced earlier this year, arguing that oral options are expanding the patient pool for weight-loss therapies. Novo Nordisk highlighted that Wegovy pill prescriptions surpassed 3 million within about five months of its launch, illustrating the impact of an oral format on access compared with injections. The field remains dynamic, with a wave of entrants aiming to gain share in the coming years.
Behind the industry leaders, mid-stage data from candidates by Structure Therapeutics and AstraZeneca point to continued competition in the GLP-1 space. If these oral drugs advance to Phase 3 and perform well, they could reach the market around 2029, roughly three years after Lilly rolled out its small-molecule pill Foundayo earlier this year. Structure Therapeutics’ Ray Stevens stressed there should be ample room for competition, emphasizing that patient choice will drive market outcomes.
Pfizer rolled out mid-stage data from a shot developed through its $10 billion Metsera acquisition, with the company signaling potential for monthly dosing that could offer convenience beyond the current weekly schedule. Amgen is testing a monthly or even quarterly approach, with Susan Sweeney, Amgen’s executive vice president of obesity and related conditions, saying fewer administrations per year could help patients manage the disease over time. She added that addressing the burden of obesity may hinge on easier treatment routines.
The session also featured amylin-focused therapies as potential complements to GLP-1 drugs. Zealand Pharma, in collaboration with Roche, reported mid-stage results for petrelintide, showing meaningful weight loss with fewer vomiting episodes versus placebo, though the magnitude of weight loss lagged behind the injections currently on the market. Zealand’s Adam Steensberg argued that an amylin launch could create a strong demand among patients already familiar with GLP-1 experiences, though an approved amylin therapy is still years away. Lilly is pursuing its own amylin analogue, eloralintide, which is already in Phase 3.
Lilly also presented data from its triple agonist retatrutide, which targets GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors. In the trial’s highest dose, participants achieved substantial weight loss with sustained treatment, underscoring the potential of multi-target approaches for patients who respond poorly to current options. Lilly’s leadership framed the results as evidence of what’s possible when treatment is maintained over time, noting progress in higher BMI categories.
Market dynamics remain unsettled as payers weigh pricing, access and coverage. Analysts have stressed that volume alone will not determine success; pricing and reimbursement decisions will shape adoption and profitability. Both Lilly and Novo Nordisk have adjusted price trajectories to stay competitive, while Medicare and other payers broaden coverage. In the near term, access through Medicare with lower out-of-pocket costs is expected to expand for many seniors.
As more therapies near potential approval, investors and health systems are watching how oral formats, amylin therapies and next‑generation combinations reshape patient access and cost dynamics. Global statistics show that roughly 2.5 billion people are overweight and about 890 million are obese, highlighting the large opportunity in obesity care and its implications for markets and reimbursement frameworks.
With a crowded pipeline and evolving payer strategies, the industry is racing to align science, access and affordability. The future could reshuffle which treatments are used, how obesity is categorized within health systems, and how payers respond to a broader spectrum of options.
Source material from CNBC, June 13, 2026, ADA Scientific Sessions coverage in New Orleans.
