This New Medicine Can Help You Lose Weight
Overweight and obesity are projected to cost us over US$4 trillion by 2035.
For years, I've struggled with my weight, constantly hopping from one diet to another in an attempt to shed pounds: ketogenic, Whole30, vegan, liquid-only... you name it.
Fortunately, I've managed to strike a balance between physical activity and nutrition, leading to a healthier life. However, this isn't the case for many others.
Over 40% of Americans are clinically obese, and most are simply told by their doctors to diet and exercise. Traditional healthcare approaches have treated obesity as a simplistic "calories in, calories out" equation, failing to recognize it as a complex disease that necessitates intensive clinical support. In Europe, nearly 30% of adults struggle with obesity.
The Opportunity:
“Health conditions with high consumer pain that the traditional system is undeserving”
Overweight and obesity are projected to cost the global economy over US$4 trillion in potential income by 2035, potentially affecting more than 4 billion people, compared to over 2.6 billion in 2020. This signifies an increase from 38% of the world's population in 2020 to over 50% by 2035.
Global overweight and obesity 2020–2035
Now let's examine the global obesity trends for children, adolescents, and adults by gender from 2020 to 2035:
By 2035, there will be 208 million boys aged between 5 and 19 years with obesity, and 175 million girls within the same age range.
In the case of adults aged 20 years and over, by 2035, there will be 690 million men and 842 million women with obesity.
When considering the Economic Impact (remember the US$4 trillion?), it encompasses both the healthcare costs associated with treating obesity and its consequences, as well as the impact of high BMI on economic productivity. High BMI contributes to absenteeism, presenteeism (reduced productivity while at work), and premature retirement or death.
Clearly, the number of individuals experiencing the negative effects of obesity is substantial. Achieving weight loss can be particularly challenging, especially for individuals with conditions like diabetes. While there are no instant solutions for weight loss, there are medications accessible to provide assistance.
The Solution Unveiled:
Amidst the pursuit of combating obesity, one solution has garnered significant market attention: anti-obesity drugs. By 2030, the worldwide market for obesity therapeutics is projected to reach a value of $100 billion, and according to Barclays, the expanding weight loss drug industry has the potential to grow even further, potentially reaching $200 billion within the next ten years.
More specifically, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). By stimulating insulin secretion and regulating the release of glucagon, GLP-1 plays a pivotal role in influencing blood sugar control. Moreover, GLP-1s have demonstrated their efficacy in weight loss by influencing the body's "set point," effectively curbing appetite and fostering a sense of satiety.
The FDA initially approved GLP-1 medications in 2005 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, which happens to be the most prevalent form of diabetes. An intriguing side effect of these medications is weight loss, leading to their exploration as potential anti-obesity drugs.
The FDA has granted approval for the following GLP-1 medications specifically for weight loss:
Liraglutide (Saxenda)
Semaglutide (Wegovy™)
These two long-acting GLP-1s received FDA approval in 2014 and 2021, respectively, as medications for combating obesity.
After 16 months, the usage of Novo Nordisk's semaglutide, known as Ozempic and Wegovy, resulted in an approximate 15% decrease in body weight.
How to Obtain GLP-1 Medications for Weight Loss?
To access GLP-1 medications, a prescription from a healthcare provider is necessary. Initially, the healthcare provider will assess whether the patient meets specific criteria. Generally, adults with a BMI index of 30 kg/m^2 or higher (indicating obesity) or 27 kg/m^2 or greater (indicating overweight) along with at least one weight-related health issue (e.g., hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, or dyslipidemia) may benefit from GLP-1 injections. These injections should be combined with regular physical activity and a reduced-calorie diet.
Pioneering the Way Forward: Digital
A group of Tech Companies have started to fill this void by offering comprehensive medication, education, and support for weight loss:
Digital Platforms
Calibrate: a metabolic health company on a mission to change the way the world treats weight. The company has raised more than $125 million from leading investors, including Founders Fund, Tiger Global, Optum Ventures, Forerunner Ventures, Threshold Ventures and Redesign Health.
Weekend Health: a telehealth platform, that has been acquired by WW International in a cash and equity transaction worth $132 million. The payment structure is as follows:$100 million will be paid at the closing of the transaction. Out of this amount, $65 million will be in cash, and $35 million will be in the form of 8.065 million newly issued shares of common stock of WW.
An additional $16 million will be paid in cash on the first anniversary of the closing.
A further $16 million will be paid in cash on the second anniversary of the closing.
Found: the company has a clear and dedicated mission of improving people’s overall wellbeing by making evidence-based weight loss accessible and affordable. Found has raised a total of $132M in funding over 3 rounds from Atomico, Google Ventures and others investors.
Virtual Clinics
Form Health: a virtual medical weight loss clinic that provides personalized care from an expert doctor and Registered Dietitian. Form Health has raised a total of $26.3M in funding over 2 rounds
Enara: is building a platform and network to scale medical obesity treatment, this will allows medical groups and health partners to launch insurance-covered obesity programs with a multi-disciplinary network of caring medical providers and coaches. Enara Health has raised a total of $9M in funding.
Looking forward, tackling the obesity crisis demands a holistic strategy that surpasses basic recommendations of exercise and healthy eating. It is clear that unless prevention takes precedence and initiatives to encourage healthy behaviors are put in place, we will continue to be mired in the reactive healthcare model we currently face.
> Improved endurance is good,
Martin
P.S. I used some of the following sources to obtain the data for this article:
(1) Worldobesityday.org (2) a16z: bio-health (3) Nih.gov (4) Crunchbase (5) Bloomberg