Boehringer Ingelheim ventures into late-stage trials for innovative GLP-1-based drug

GERMANY — Boehringer Ingelheim, a pioneering pharmaceutical force, is intensifying its pursuit of an obesity drug contender, ready to challenge Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly’s GLP-1 therapies.

The company recently unveiled its strategic move to launch three advanced-stage trials for an experimental medicine with a mechanism akin to its competitors’, signifying a determined stride toward reshaping the obesity treatment landscape.

In an ambitious endeavor, the German pharmaceutical powerhouse, Boehringer Ingelheim, has cast its gaze upon the realm of obesity treatment.

Building on its recent mid-stage trial collaboration with Zealand Pharma, the company has unveiled plans for three pivotal late-stage trials.

The trials are fueled by compelling mid-stage data that showcased substantial weight loss among overweight or obese participants after a year of treatment. However, the experimental drug did come with notable gastrointestinal side effects.

Boehringer Ingelheim is set to initiate Phase 3 studies by the year’s end, with further details on the trials’ design anticipated before the commencement.

The impetus from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly

The resounding success of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy, coupled with Lilly’s Mounjaro, has galvanized the realm of obesity drug development.

Boehringer Ingelheim stands among a cohort of pharmaceutical giants, including Pfizer and Amgen, vying to enter the fray with comparable therapies.

Much like its counterparts Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, Boehringer’s experimental drug, named survodutide, zeroes in on a pivotal protein receptor: GLP-1, which plays a vital role in metabolic function.

In a distinct move, survodutide also targets a related protein, the glucagon receptor. The dual-pronged approach is poised to not only suppress appetite but also enhance energy expenditure.

Lilly has traversed a similar path with Mounjaro, targeting GLP-1 and another protein receptor named GIP. Furthermore, their experimental “triple G” drug, retatrutide, stimulates the GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors.

Boehringer and Zealand’s collaborative triumph

The roots of Boehringer’s promising drug venture trace back to Zealand, a trusted partner in innovation.

The creation of survodutide is a shared feat, and it is also being explored for its potential in treating non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis. The companies have been united in their pursuit of obesity drug research since 2011.

In parallel to survodutide, Zealand Pharma is a wellspring of innovation, traversing a diverse spectrum of drug development.

Among their pursuits are a dual GLP-1 agonist, a GIP agonist, and a hormone amylin mimic. Phase 1 trial data for the latter drug, a testimony to Zealand’s robust research, were unveiled in July.

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