Market Overview

According to World Health Organization (WHO), obesity refers a disorder of accumulation of excessive fat that can impair health. Body Mass Index (BMI) is an index of weight for height, which is a measure for classifying obesity and overweight. According to WHO, BMI greater than or equal to 30 is consider as an Obese.

Anti-obesity drugs refers the drugs that reduces or control the body weight by either reducing the appetite or increasing the absorption of calories. The fundamental treatment for obesity is to control over unhealthy diet, and regular exercise, as although anti-obesity drugs are available in the market, their usefulness is restricted to maintain weight rather than cure.

Obesity is a risk factor for development of several chronic diseases such as coronary heart diseases, hypertension, metabolic disorders such as diabetes, and others. Hence, need to control by proper medication, diet, and exercise. Bariatric surgery is an also option for weight loss for BMI more than 40. However, lifelong changes in eating and exercise habits are necessary after surgery.

Global anti-obesity drugs market segmented by approved drugs: buproprion and naltrexone (Contrave), orlistat (Xenical), lorcaserin (Belviq), phentermine and topiramate (Qsymia), and liraglutide (Saxenda). Geographically, global anti-obesity drugs market segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and rest of the World.

Presently, North America holds largest share of the market due to increasing obese population. For instance, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one third of U.S. population is obese in 2014. However, Asia Pacific expected to grow at highest rate due to increasing demand of drugs, and awareness regarding risk associated with obesity. Additionally, sedentary lifestyle, and unhealthy diet would expect to increase the number of obese people during forecast period.

Increase in incidence of obesity is majorly due to lack of physical activity, lack of sleep, and high calorie diet. Additionally, family history, and consumption of certain medicines such as antidepressant, diabetes agent also play a major role in obesity. For instance, according to World Health Organization (WHO), about 13% of world’s population were obese in 2014.

Additionally, according to WHO, in emerging countries the rate of increase of childhood obesity has been more than 30% higher than that of developed countries. However, several side effects such as risk of psychiatric disorder, non-fatal myocardial infraction, or stroke could affect the market negatively albeit. Hence, development of medicines with lesser side effects with chronic use, and increasing focus on developing countries market can help to boost the market.

Recently, in September 2014 U.S. FDA approved Contrave, an extended release tablet for chronic weight management. Contrave is a combination of two already FDA-approved drugs, naltrexone and bupropion, and distributed by Takeda Pharmaceuticals America Inc. However, the drug is acting by very different mechanism of mesolimbic pathway. Hence, approval of such a drugs in the market could expect to surge the market growth.

Key players in the global anti-obesity market are Arena Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Alizyme, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Eisai Company, Ltd., F. Hoffmann-La Roche, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Bayer AG, Inc., Novo Nordisk, and Norgine Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Additionally, some other company includes Orexigen Therapeutics, Pfizer, Inc., Takeda Pharmaceutical, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Shionogi USA, Vivus, Inc., and Zafgen.