ObesityWeek 2025: Breakthrough Results Reshaping the Obesity Market Landscape | DelveInsight

ObesityWeek 2025, held in Atlanta from November 4-7, showcased unprecedented clinical data that signals a fundamental shift in the obesity treatment landscape. The most striking breakthrough at ObesityWeek 2025 came from next-generation combination therapies and innovative approaches addressing treatment limitations that have plagued earlier interventions. 

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The annual conference presented over 100 scientific sessions featuring innovations from leading pharmaceutical companies, including Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly and Company, Viking Therapeutics, Ascletis Pharma, Skye Bioscience, Palatin Technologies, Inc., Neurogastrx, Inc., OrsoBio, Metsera, and others, revealing not only significant advances in drug efficacy but also reshaping the multibillion-dollar obesity therapeutics market. These presentations collectively demonstrate that obesity management has matured from a niche pharmaceutical focus into a major healthcare and commercial priority.

Download the updated obesity market report featuring key results from ObesityWeek 2025 @ Anti-Obesity Market

Let's dive deep into the promising results presented at the ObesityWeek 2025 

Novo Nordisk's CagriSema: Dual and Multi-Agonist Dominance

The most impactful findings centered on dual agonist therapies. CagriSema, Novo Nordisk's once-weekly injection combining cagrilintide (an amylin analogue) with semaglutide (a GLP-1 receptor agonist), demonstrated superiority over monotherapy in the REDEFINE 5 trial presented at the conference. In 331 Asian participants with overweight or obesity across 22 sites in Japan and Taiwan, CagriSema achieved an 18.4% mean weight reduction compared to 11.9% with semaglutide alone. More impressively, 95.4% of CagriSema recipients achieved ≥5% weight loss versus 78.7% on semaglutide, and 39.4% achieved ≥20% weight loss compared to only 18.6% with semaglutide. The combination therapy also reduced waist circumference by 13.5 centimeters, compared to 9.7 centimeters with semaglutide, while maintaining a comparable safety profile.

This development marks a significant shift in the pharmaceutical landscape for obesity. The synergistic approach of combining mechanism classes represents an emerging standard where incremental weight loss improvements, often 5-7 percentage points, translate into substantially different patient outcomes and market positioning.

Novo Nordisk's Oral Semaglutide Advances

Novo Nordisk presented compelling data supporting oral semaglutide as a significant therapeutic advancement. The OASIS 4 trial, published simultaneously in The New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrated that oral semaglutide at 25 mg once daily resulted in a mean body weight reduction of 14%, compared to 2% with placebo. Notably, 30% of participants achieved a≥20% weight loss, compared to only 3% receiving the placebo, with comparable efficacy to injectable semaglutide formulations. Physical function scores improved significantly by 16 points with oral semaglutide versus 8 points with placebo, addressing a key quality-of-life metric that influences real-world adoption.

The emergence of oral formulations with comparable efficacy to injectable versions fundamentally democratizes access to obesity treatment. Oral administration eliminates injection anxiety, enhances compliance, and broadens patient eligibility to those previously unwilling or unable to self-administer injectables, a substantial untapped obesity market segment.

Eli Lilly's Novel Amylin Agonist Potential

Eli Lilly's eloralintide, a selective amylin receptor agonist, presented impressive Phase 2 results at ObesityWeek that exceed previously established safety-efficacy trade-offs. Across 48 weeks, eloralintide demonstrated mean weight reductions ranging from 9.5% to 20.1%, depending on the dose, with all treatment arms significantly outperforming the placebo's 0.4% reduction. Remarkably, the Phase 2 results suggest improved tolerability compared to GLP-1-based agents while maintaining clinically meaningful weight loss. These findings triggered Lilly's decision to initiate Phase 3 clinical studies, anticipated to commence in December 2025.

Eloralintide's distinct mechanism represents a critical therapeutic diversification. As GLP-1 supply constraints ease, this alternative pathway addresses the substantial patient population that experiences intolerance to the gastrointestinal side effects associated with incretin agonists.

Viking Therapeutics' VK2735 Dual Agonist Success

Viking Therapeutics presented compelling Phase 2 data from their VENTURE trial of VK2735, a dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist administered as a weekly subcutaneous injection. The exploratory analysis revealed that 78% of VK2735-treated patients who presented with prediabetes at baseline had successfully shifted to a normal glycemic status by week 13, dramatically outperforming the 29% normalization rate in placebo recipients (p = 0.0008). 

Similarly, profound results emerged for the reversal of metabolic syndrome: 68% of VK2735-treated patients who met the metabolic syndrome criteria at baseline no longer satisfied the diagnostic criteria at week 13, compared to 38% of placebo patients (p = 0.02). Previously reported data showed that VK2735 achieved statistically significant reductions in mean body weight up to 14.7% from baseline after 13 weeks, with no observed plateau. Remarkably, 88% of patients receiving VK2735 achieved ≥10% weight loss compared to only 4% in the placebo group, and the majority of treatment-emergent adverse events (92%) were mild to moderate in severity.

Ascletis Pharma's Positive Obesity Pipeline Data 

Ascletis Pharma announced promising results from multiple studies of their obesity drug candidates at ObesityWeek 2025. The Phase Ib study of ASC30, a once-daily oral GLP-1R-biased small molecule agonist, demonstrated up to 6.5% placebo-adjusted mean body weight reduction after 28 days, with the highest dose cohort achieving a maximum weight reduction of 9.3%. The drug was well-tolerated, with only mild to moderate gastrointestinal side effects and no serious adverse events.

In addition, ASC30 demonstrated ultra-long-acting potential in subcutaneous injectable forms, with half-lives supporting once-monthly treatment and once-quarterly maintenance dosing schedules. These formulations demonstrated favorable safety profiles, comparable to or superior to those of current GLP-1R agonists.

Preclinical studies on a novel combination therapy of ASC31 (a dual GLP-1R and GIPR peptide agonist) with ASC47 (a thyroid hormone receptor beta-selective small molecule targeting adipose tissue) revealed significantly greater weight and body fat reduction compared to tirzepatide or ASC31 alone in diet-induced obese mice. The combination also preserved muscle and restored body composition closer to healthy levels.

These data validate Ascletis' proprietary Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Structure-Based Drug Discovery (AISBDD) and Ultra-Long-Acting Platform (ULAP) technologies, highlighting a pipeline with both oral and injectable candidates offering potential breakthroughs in chronic weight management through improved efficacy, safety, and patient convenience. Ascletis is committed to advancing clinical development and strategic partnerships globally.

Skye Bioscience's Combination Approach to Weight Regain Prevention

One of the most strategically important presentations came from Skye Bioscience, addressing a critical unmet clinical need: preventing weight regain after discontinuation of GLP-1 agonists. Data from their Phase 2 CBeyond trial demonstrated that nimacimab (a peripherally-restricted CB1 inhibitor antibody) plus semaglutide blunted rebound weight gain during a 12-week post-treatment period, with only 18.1% weight regain compared to 49.8% in the semaglutide-alone group. 

At 12 weeks post-treatment, the combination group maintained statistical significance compared to placebo (p=0.006), while the semaglutide-alone group lost statistical significance (p=0.12), following the established trajectory of rebound weight gain documented in the STEP-1 Trial Extension. During the active treatment phase, nimacimab plus semaglutide achieved additional weight loss of −13.2% versus −10.25% with semaglutide alone (p=0.0372), representing approximately a 30% improvement in weight loss magnitude. Waist circumference reductions were also superior with the combination, showing −11.26 cm versus −8.09 cm with semaglutide alone (p=0.0492).

Palatin Technologies' Melanocortin Pathway Innovation

Palatin Technologies presented preclinical and clinical evidence for melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) agonists as a complementary mechanism to incretin-based therapies. Their poster presentations highlighted PL7737, an oral MC4R small molecule agonist, which demonstrated dose-dependent weight loss in diet-induced obese mice with no observed effects on systolic blood pressure and favorable pharmacokinetics, including approximately 50% oral bioavailability and a half-life exceeding three hours in rats. 

A Phase II study (BMT-801) evaluated combining bremelanotide, a melanocortin-4 receptor agonist, with tirzepatide in obesity patients, revealing that adding a low-dose MC4R agonist led to greater weight loss compared to tirzepatide alone while maintaining excellent tolerability with no increased gastrointestinal side effects. Critically, sustained weight maintenance was observed when low-dose MC4R activation was used to prevent weight regain after stopping tirzepatide, a finding that parallels Skye's discoveries with the CB1 pathway. Palatin received Orphan Drug Designation for PL7737 for the treatment of leptin receptor deficiency–related obesity, with IND filing and Phase 1 trial initiation expected in the first half of 2026.

Neurogastrx's Solution to GLP-1 Tolerability Challenges

Addressing perhaps the most commercially significant barrier to GLP-1 therapy utilization, Neurogastrx presented proof-of-concept data from its Phase 2 study of NG101 (metopimazine mesylate), an oral peripherally restricted dopamine D2 receptor antagonist for treating GLP-1-induced gastrointestinal side effects. The study enrolled 90 participants aged 18-55 who received semaglutide plus either NG101 20 mg twice daily or placebo. Results demonstrated that NG101 significantly reduced nausea incidence by 40% (p=0.0203) and vomiting incidence by 67% (p=0.0274), while decreasing the number of discrete vomiting episodes by 56% (p=0.0238). 

The duration of gastrointestinal symptoms also improved substantially, with nausea and vomiting lasting more than one day occurring in 22% of NG101 recipients versus 51% of placebo recipients (p = 0.0063). Patient-reported outcomes showed a 70% reduction in nausea severity (p = 0.0138). At 12 weeks post-treatment, NG101 recipients achieved significantly reduced maximum nausea ratings of moderate-severe nausea by 31% (p=0.0225).

The significance of this data becomes apparent when contextualizing that only 30% of patients initiating GLP-1 therapy for weight loss remain on treatment after one year, with gastrointestinal side effects cited as the leading cause of discontinuation. 

Metsera's MET-097i Phase IIb Trial Results

Metsera presented positive results from two Phase IIb trials (VESPER-1 and VESPER-3) of its weight-loss drug candidate MET-097i at ObesityWeek 2025, demonstrating a strong weight loss profile comparable to that of leading drugs, such as Eli Lilly's ZEPBOUND. In the VESPER-1 trial, MET-097i achieved a placebo-subtracted mean weight loss of up to 14.1% at 28 weeks, with some individuals experiencing weight loss as high as 26.5%. The drug demonstrated competitive efficacy comparable to that of dual-agonist therapies, despite being a mono-agonist.

A key highlight was MET-097i's excellent tolerability, with a low discontinuation rate of 2.9% in VESPER-1 and minimal gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea (13%) and vomiting (11%) at the highest dose in VESPER-3, along with minimal diarrhea. This tolerability profile stands out compared to current market leaders, which often cause more side effects, leading to treatment discontinuation.

This progress occurs amid a bidding war for Metsera between Pfizer and Novo Nordisk, with Pfizer emerging as the winner, signaling significant interest in MET-097i's market potential.

OrsoBio's Mitochondrial Protonophore Therapies for Obesity

OrsoBio presented Phase 1 data for TLC-6740, while also initiating first-in-human trials for TLC-1180, a novel oral amylin receptor agonist. Preliminary seven-week efficacy data showed that low-dose TLC-1180 and semaglutide achieved similar vehicle-adjusted weight loss (11% and 14%, respectively), high-dose TLC-1180 achieved 20% weight loss, and the combination of TLC-1180 and semaglutide produced 27% weight loss with 67% reduction in fat mass without affecting lean muscle mass—a critical differentiation factor versus existing therapies.

Other Notable Results Presented at ObesityWeek 2025

ObesityWeek 2025 also featured a surge of promising findings from several other pharma companies involved in obesity treatment research and innovation, including Ro, Hengrui Pharma, Kailera Therapeutics, MetaVia, Veru, Currax Pharmaceuticals, Biomea Fusion, and Aion Medicines, among others. 

Ro, a direct-to-patient healthcare company, presented eight research abstracts highlighting the real-world outcomes of GLP-1 treatments, such as tirzepatide and semaglutide, delivered via telehealth. Their data show substantial weight loss (up to 19.5% at 12 months) and symptom improvements in specific populations such as those with osteoarthritis or post-bariatric surgery. Ro also demonstrated how AI, including large language model triage tools, improves patient care efficiency. Additionally, they explored patient experiences such as "food noise," a measure of intrusive food thoughts that negatively affect quality of life, aiming to refine obesity care through nuanced patient insights.

Hengrui Pharma and Kailera Therapeutics unveiled results from the Phase 3 GEMINI-1 trial of HRS9531, a novel dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist developed for Chinese adults with obesity. The trial confirmed the drug's potential for significant weight loss, surpassing that of the placebo, and improvement in cardiometabolic risk factors, including blood pressure and insulin resistance. Kailera is planning global Phase 3 trials to evaluate higher doses and longer treatment durations, advancing this treatment further.

MetaVia presented Phase 1 and preclinical data for DA-1726, a dual agonist, showing promising safety and pharmacokinetics that support once-weekly dosing, as well as meaningful reductions in body weight and waist circumference in obese adults. Preclinical rodent studies suggest DA-1726 improves weight loss through increased energy expenditure and superior lipid-lowering compared to comparators.

Veru Inc. presented two abstracts at ObesityWeek 2025, highlighting their next-generation drug enobosarm, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) designed to enhance the selectivity of GLP-1 RA-driven weight loss for fat reduction while preserving lean mass and physical function. Their Phase 2b QUALITY clinical trial and extension demonstrated that combining enobosarm with semaglutide preserves lean body mass and function, potentially enabling greater fat loss and increased energy expenditure during active weight reduction phases. Ongoing studies are planned to assess whether enobosarm can help break weight loss plateaus in patients receiving GLP-1 RAs.

Currax Pharmaceuticals highlighted new research on their oral non-GLP-1 combination therapy, CONTRAVE, focusing on craving control, behavioral adherence, and efficacy in subpopulations. Their presentations underline CONTRAVE's role in expanding obesity treatment options by addressing biological and behavioral determinants of weight management.

Biomea Fusion showcased preclinical advances for BMF-650 and Icovamenib, used in combination with low-dose semaglutide, demonstrating enhanced glycemic control and weight reduction effects in rodent models. Meanwhile, Aion Medicines shared preclinical data for AM-710, an ultra-long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist prodrug capable of dosing intervals every 3 to 6 months or longer, which showed profound and sustained weight loss and metabolic benefits in animal studies.

These presentations collectively reflect significant progress in obesity treatment, emphasizing novel and long-acting therapeutics, innovative telehealth delivery models, and technology-enhanced patient management approaches, all of which are poised to redefine obesity care paradigms globally.

Obesity Market Implications and Expansion

ObesityWeek 2025 data crystallized a shifting competitive dynamic. The anti-obesity market is projected to grow from USD 12 billion in 2024 to approximately USD 86 billion by 2034 across the leading markets (the US, EU4, the UK, and Japan), representing a 617% increase, as per DelveInsight. These market projections reflect multiple expanding vectors: the newly diagnosed population under broadened diagnostic criteria, patients previously rationed or denied access now transitioning to treatment, and emerging therapeutic classes expanding beyond existing monotherapy limitations.

While Novo Nordisk's WEGOVY and Eli Lilly's ZEPBOUND maintain dominant obesity market positioning, the proliferation of next-generation agents is establishing differentiation pathways. The emerging multi-option landscape enables precision medicine approaches where clinicians stratify patients by efficacy targets, tolerability preferences, and comorbidity profiles. This represents maturation from monotherapy-dominated markets toward personalized treatment algorithms, a transition that historically expands overall market volume by 30-50% through improved patient retention and expanded indication penetration.

In summary, the conference highlighted the increasing importance of treating obesity as a chronic disease through multidisciplinary approaches that span basic science, clinical application, and public policy. Notable highlights included promising new data on GLP-1 agonists and emerging oral treatments, which showed meaningful weight loss and metabolic improvements. Notably, the event underscored challenges such as treatment adherence and access issues while highlighting innovative strategies to sustain long-term outcomes and improve quality of life for individuals living with obesity. As a global gathering of experts, ObesityWeek 2025 advanced the dialogue on transforming obesity care into personalized, patient-centered approaches.

Source: Obesity Market Report  

Obesity Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast – 2034 report delivers an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted epidemiology, as well as the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key obesity companies, including Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly and Company, MedImmune, Boehringer Ingelheim, Raziel Therapeutics, Altimmune, Saniona, YSOPIA Bioscience, Innovent Biologics, Glaceum, Shionogi, Aardvark Therapeutics, NuSirt Biopharma, Novartis, CSPC Baike (Shandong) Biopharmaceutical, Jiangsu HengRui Medicine, Carmot Therapeutics, Pfizer, Sciwind Biosciences, Empros Pharma, among others.

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