Pharma Sources - The Future of Obesity Drugs

The rising levels of obesity worldwide are creating a health challenge. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of adults living with obesity rose by 138% between 1975 and 2016. During the same period, the numbers increased nearly 3-fold in boys and more than doubled in girls aged 15-19 years. Being overweight or obese is linked with cardiovascular diseases, cancer, type 2 diabetes, musculoskeletal conditions and chronic respiratory diseases, and has been associated with over 1.2 million deaths a year in the WHO European Region alone. By the year 2030, over a billion people could be affected by obesity, according to the World Obesity Forum. 

After a shaky history of ineffective or harmful drug treatments for obesity, from laxatives and purgatives in the Greco-Roman period and tobacco in the 16th century, through thyroid hormones in the 19th century and amphetamines in the 20th century, to the now withdrawn drugs rimonabant, sibutramine and lorcaserin in the 21st century, the pharmaceutical industry is exploring new approaches in the journey to find better therapeutics for use in obesity. 

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