The weight is over: How GLP-1 treatments are reshaping pharma and beyond

Executive Summary

• The pharmaceutical industry is cooking up a storm, with weight-loss drugs serving as the main course. Diabetes and obesity have become the star ingredients driving the sector’s expansion, sidelining traditional staples like oncology and immunology. Sales of GLP-1 blockbusters Semaglutide and Tirzepatide have risen from a modest EUR4.5bn in 2021 to a sumptuous EUR21.2bn in 2023. 
• Weight-loss drugs might just serve as a miracle meal for the global health system, with a potential EUR3.3trn in cost savings. 
• To stay competitive, food manufacturers will need to whip up smaller portions, healthier recipes, and even explore "natural GLP-1 boosters" for those unable or unwilling to take the pharmaceutical route.