New Era of Obesity Drug Development - Xtalks

Description

There has never been a more exciting and promising time in pharmacological research related to obesity drugs. It is now broadly accepted that obesity is not just a lack of willpower but a complex chronic disease with increased morbidity and mortality that can be managed with the right treatment.

Over the past decade or so, gut hormone-based drug development targeting obesity and type 2 diabetes indications and combinations of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) with other gut hormones (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), glucagon and amylin) as dual or triple agonists or other complementary mode of action have increased rapidly.

Semaglutide and, most recently, tirzepatide have demonstrated that a two-digit weight loss at one year is achievable and the Phase II data with retatrutide suggest that 100 percent of patients can now achieve the 5 percent weight loss that was targeted in the past. The next stage in obesity research needs to bring affordable and accessible drugs that can lead to selective fat loss, preservation of lean body mass and long-term weight maintenance. As with many other chronic diseases, combination therapies with complementary modes of action will be required to successfully treat patients with obesity.

The objective of this webinar is to discuss the potential next steps in pharmacotherapy targeting obesity. The expert speakers will initially focus on the size of the health burden, the history of drug development and the current pipeline in this indication. They will also focus on the current methodologies to assess body composition. They will discuss the potential additional targets, beyond energy intake, to complement and improve the quality of weight loss and its maintenance, as well as present the methodologies that can be used to assess different components of energy expenditure (EE) and explain the concept of metabolic adaptation and the potential physio-pathological mechanisms involved.

Moreover, they will discuss the implications of the changes in EE and metabolic adaptation in long-term weight maintenance. Finally, they will focus on brain imaging and how it can help to understand eating behavior and neurocognitive measures in obesity. The webinar will conclude with the current challenges and mitigation strategies for future clinical trials in obesity.

Register for this webinar today to understand the latest advancements related to obesity pharmacotherapy.

Speakers: Dr. Eric Ravussin, PhD - Boyd Professor, Douglas L. Gordon Chair in Diabetes and Metabolism, Pennington Biomedical Research Center-LSU System, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Dr. Claudia Filozof - Vice President and Therapeutic Area Head in Obesity, MASH and Liver Indications, Fortrea; Dr. Peter Alfinito, PhD - Executive Director, Operational Strategy & Planning, Fortrea.

Who Should Attend?

This webinar is designed for drug developers, healthcare professionals, patient advocacy groups and anyone interested in the advancement of obesity drug development.

What You Will Learn

Attendees will learn about:

• Understanding obesity’s health burden and the evolution of drug development in obesity

• Methodologies used to evaluate body composition in the context of obesity research

• Potential additional targets beyond energy intake to enhance weight loss quality and maintenance

• Current challenges in obesity clinical trials and strategies to mitigate these challenges for future research efforts