AbbVie Inc. is accelerating development of an amylin-based obesity drug licensed from Denmark’s Gubra, aiming to offer a more durable, better-tolerated alternative to dominant GLP-1 weight-loss therapies, the company said Thursday.
AbbVie Obesity Drug Targets Amylin to Compete in Booming Weight-Loss Market
AbbVie said it is expanding its push into the fast-growing obesity-treatment market by advancing GUBamy, a drug candidate it licensed in 2023 from Danish biotech firm Gubra A/S. The therapy uses the hormone amylin rather than GLP-1 agonists, a class that includes Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound.
The company framed the strategy as a response to limitations of existing treatments, particularly for patients who struggle to sustain weight loss or tolerate side effects. AbbVie said amylin’s distinct mechanism could provide an option for patients who do not respond well to first-generation therapies.
AbbVie Targets Limits of GLP-1 Drugs
GLP-1 drugs work by mimicking gut hormones that regulate appetite and blood sugar, but they can cause nausea and other gastrointestinal effects that lead some patients to discontinue treatment. AbbVie said Amylin, a naturally occurring pancreatic hormone, acts differently by slowing gastric emptying and increasing satiety.
“Patients need options that last,” AbbVie said in a statement, adding that many people cycle through therapies as effectiveness wanes over time. The company said early data suggest amylin-based treatments may offer improved tolerability and help preserve lean muscle mass during weight loss.
AbbVie is developing a long-acting version of GUBamy designed to reduce dosing frequency, which it said could improve adherence. The company said it plans to accelerate clinical development as it seeks to differentiate itself in a crowded field dominated by a handful of established products.
Analysts have said demand for obesity drugs continues to outpace supply, underscoring the commercial appeal of alternative mechanisms. AbbVie obesity drug said it believes Amylin could complement or compete with GLP-1 therapies depending on patient needs.
Clinical Development Gains Momentum
At the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference this week, AbbVie executives emphasized the challenge of delivering durable weight-loss solutions. Management said chronic obesity requires long-term treatment strategies that address both efficacy and patient tolerance.
“We see a clear unmet need for therapies that patients can stay on,” the company said at the conference, pointing to high discontinuation rates for existing drugs.AbbVie obesity drug did not provide a timeline for late-stage trials but said development efforts are being stepped up.
Gubra, which discovered the molecule, has previously highlighted amylin’s potential role in metabolic disease. AbbVie said the partnership allows it to build on that research while leveraging its global development and commercialization capabilities.
The company declined to disclose financial terms tied to future milestones but said the program is a priority within its research pipeline.
Market Stakes Reach $150 Billion
AbbVie obesity drug push comes as the global market is projected to reach about $150 billion annually within the next decade, according to industry estimates cited by the company. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly currently lead the sector, but competition is intensifying as drugmakers explore new targets.
AbbVie said it also plans to leverage its medical-aesthetics business, arguing that the customer base overlaps with patients seeking weight-loss treatments. That commercial synergy could give the company an advantage in marketing and patient outreach.
“Our aesthetics footprint gives us direct access to a motivated population,” AbbVie said, adding that existing relationships with physicians could support uptake if the drug reaches the market.
Shares of AbbVie were slightly higher in early trading on Thursday, while shares of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly were modestly lower.
AbbVie said it aims to position itself as a differentiated player by combining an alternative biological pathway with established commercial channels, betting that patients and physicians will seek options beyond GLP-1 drugs as the market matures.
