Entvin (YC S22)’s Post

Just landed on a documentary about Ozempic on my flight It perfectly aligned with the theme of innovation in healthcare! Here's a brief timeline of the weight loss drug landscape, highlighting key players like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly and Company - 1920s-1940s: Early weight loss treatments involved organotherapy using animal gland extracts. - 1960s-1990s: A variety of weight loss drugs emerged, including amphetamines, though many were withdrawn due to safety concerns. - 1990s: Research on GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) began, revealing its role in weight loss. - 2005: Novo Nordisk’s Exenatide (Byetta) was approved by the FDA for type 2 diabetes, with weight loss noted as a side effect. - 2010: Novo Nordisk’s Liraglutide (Victoza) was approved in the US, showing better weight loss results than Byetta. - 2008: Novo Nordisk began Phase II clinical trials for semaglutide (Ozempic). 2013: The American Medical Association officially declared obesity a disease, paving the way for insurance reimbursement for obesity treatments. - 2016-2017: Clinical trials for Ozempic were conducted. - 2017: FDA approved Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic (semaglutide) for type 2 diabetes, but the drug also showed remarkable results in weight loss—a pivotal moment that reshaped its potential in obesity management. - 2018: Ozempic was approved in Canada, the EU, and Japan. - 2021: Higher-dose semaglutide (Wegovy) was approved for obesity treatment by Novo Nordisk. - 2022: Eli Lilly’s Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) was approved for type 2 diabetes. - 2023: Eli Lilly’s Zepbound (higher-dose tirzepatide) was approved for obesity, and worldwide supply shortages of semaglutide occurred due to high demand. - 2024: Ongoing research by companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly into new GLP-1 drugs and combination therapies continues. The treatment cost is a significant barrier, with Ozempic and similar drugs priced at around $12,000 per year per person. Since the treatment must be continued indefinitely to maintain weight loss, this places a long-term financial burden on patients without end to medication. The weight loss drug market has seen explosive growth, driven by the popularity of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. The global market is expected to exceed $100 billion by 2030, with demand continuing to rise due to the increasing prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Entvin (YCS22) #NovoNordisk #EliLilly #Ozempic #WeightLossDrugs #GLP1