Roche Unveils Ambitious Obesity Strategy, Aiming for Top 3 Position by 2030

Roche, the Swiss pharmaceutical giant, has laid out a comprehensive strategy to become one of the top three companies in the rapidly growing obesity treatment market. The ambitious plan, revealed during the company's recent Pharma Day presentation, marks a significant shift in Roche's approach to tackling the global obesity epidemic.

Multi-Pronged Approach to Obesity Treatment

Unlike its competitors Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, which have dominated the market with single blockbuster drugs Mounjaro and Wegovy respectively, Roche is taking a diversified approach. Manu Chakravarthy, M.D., Ph.D., global head of cardiovascular, renal and metabolism product development at Roche, emphasized the importance of having a broad portfolio to address the complexity and heterogeneity of the obesity market.

Roche's strategy includes several key components:

1. CT-388: A dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist acquired from Carmot Therapeutics, set to enter phase 3 trials in the first half of 2026.
2. CT-996: An oral GLP-1 agonist, also from Carmot, currently in phase 2 studies.
3. Petrelintide: A long-acting amylin analog developed in partnership with Zealand Pharma.
4. Emugrobart: An anti-latent myostatin sweeping antibody designed to increase muscle mass, currently being studied in combination with Eli Lilly's Mounjaro.

The company aims to bring CT-388 to market by 2030, with Chakravarthy expressing confidence in meeting this timeline due to existing investments in manufacturing capabilities, including a new $700 million plant in North Carolina.

Addressing Comorbidities and Future Prospects

Roche's obesity strategy extends beyond weight loss drugs to address related health issues. The recent acquisition of 89bio brings pegozafermin, a phase 3-stage fatty liver disease drug, into the company's portfolio. Chakravarthy even hinted at the potential future integration of trontinemab, Roche's investigational Alzheimer's disease drug, into the obesity offering, given the link between obesity and dementia risk.

Looking ahead, Roche has a busy 2026 planned, with multiple phase 2 readouts expected for petrelintide, CT-388, CT-996, and the emugrobart-Mounjaro combination. These results will be crucial in shaping the company's future direction in the obesity market.

Market Dynamics and Competition

Roche's entry into the obesity market comes at a time of intense competition and rapid development. On the same day as Roche's strategy unveiling, Pfizer announced a $4.9 billion acquisition of Metsera, further intensifying the race for obesity treatments.

When asked about potential future acquisitions, Chakravarthy remained open to possibilities, particularly expressing interest in "weight maintenance" drugs. He highlighted the industry's current challenge of maintaining long-term weight loss, suggesting this could be an area for future development or acquisition.

As the obesity treatment landscape continues to evolve, Roche's multi-faceted approach and ambitious timeline set the stage for a significant shift in the market dynamics. The coming years will be crucial in determining whether the Swiss pharma giant can achieve its goal of becoming a top three player in this increasingly competitive and lucrative field.