If there’s one story dominating health care over the past couple of years, it’s this: weight-loss drugs are changing everything.
These aren’t fad diets or gimmicky supplements. They’re a class of medicines called GLP-1s, and they’re rewriting the rules for treating obesity and diabetes. You’ve probably seen the headlines - patients losing 15%, even 20% of their body weight, while also reducing risks for heart disease, kidney disease, and more.
This isn’t just a medical breakthrough. It’s a massive wealth-building opportunity.
Why This Is So Big
Let’s step back. Obesity affects more than 650 million people worldwide. In the U.S. alone, nearly half of adults are considered overweight or obese - driving trillions of dollars in medical costs every year.
For decades, there wasn’t much hope outside of risky surgeries or lifestyle changes that rarely stuck. Now, with GLP-1s, patients are finally seeing real results - and demand has exploded. Pharmacies can’t keep these drugs in stock. That kind of unstoppable demand is the hallmark of a megatrend.
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The Growth Potential Is Just Beginning
Here’s what makes this story extraordinary: we’re still in the early innings of a massive paradigm shift.
Today, only two GLP-1 drugs are approved for obesity treatment—yet demand is already pushing supply to the limits.
In 2024, the global GLP-1 weight-loss drug market was valued at $13.8 billion.
By 2030, analysts forecast the total GLP-1 market (not just obesity) could top $100 billion.
Some firms go further, estimating $139 billion in GLP-1 sales by 2030, with obesity treatments contributing roughly $58 billion of that total.
The numbers tell the story: even with only two drugs on the market, demand is already extraordinary.
Source: Market Sentiment
How Investors Can Play It
Everyone knows the two giants behind the current drugs - Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Eli Lilly (LLY). But that won’t last forever. A long list of smaller firms are lining up to join this high-growth megatrend.
Here are five pipeline names worth watching
1) Zealand Pharma (ZLDPF):
Developing petrelintide, a long-acting amylin analogue designed to suppress appetite. In March 2025, Zealand signed a $5.3 billion deal with Roche to co-develop and commercialize globally.
2) Viking Therapeutics (VKTX):
Advancing VK2735, a dual GLP-1/GIP agonist in injectable and oral forms. Its Phase 3 trial, VANQUISH-1, launched in mid-2025 with ~4,500 participants. Early data showed up to 8% weight loss in just 28 days in some oral arms.
3) Amgen (AMGN):
Developing MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide), a hybrid GLP-1 + GIP therapy. In Phase 2, patients lost ~20% of body weight at 52 weeks. Amgen has now launched a full Phase 3 program called MARITIME.
4) Pfizer (PFE):
Halted its oral GLP-1 danuglipron due to safety and tolerability issues. The company is expected to reenter the race through partnerships or acquisitions.
5) Structure Therapeutics (GPCR):
Advancing GSBR-1290, an oral, small-molecule GLP-1 agonist. In Phase 2a, patients lost ~6.2% of body weight in 12 weeks with a clean safety profile. Larger mid-stage studies are next.
The Bottom Line
The GLP-1 story is still being written. It’s not a short-term fad - it’s a structural change in medicine that will take years to unfold. But the long-term impact is undeniable, and investors who position early stand to benefit the most.
Here’s to the future,
Matt McCall
Editor, Market Insights
