The Obesity and overweight global pandemic is hitting new heights, with 42% of the global population suffering from overweight. Those staggering numbers are predicted to reach 54% by 2035. Those numbers are shocking, taking into consideration that in 1970 the percentage of overweight patients merely scratched 20% globally. This phenomenon is touching all age groups, with children and adolescents escalating growth numbers predicted to hit 39% by 2035 compared to 22% today. Obesity does not mean only being overweight and is accompanied by associated co-morbidities such as type 2 diabetes (e.g., over 40% of patients), Cardiovascular risk complications (e.g., over 20%), and Neoplasms (e.g., over 5%). The associated implication of being obese is having peripheral damage also on caregivers and society. Global productivity is affected at a level of close to 10% due to the following factors: loss of labor force of patients and caregivers related to disease border, early mortality, and non-participation in the job market due to overweight-related limitations. Moreover, obesity also has a negative environmental effect with the consumption of more processed food and its derivatives, including plastic and other sugar-related and processed food.
It is predicted that in the US alone over 30% of the population is eligible for obesity treatments, representing close to 100M people, a number that continues to grow over time. The obesity market continues to be a duopoly with Novo Nordics Eli Lilly Wegovy and Zepbound leading the market. Additionally, the pipeline is also controlled by Novo and Lilly with a combination of Semaglutide + Cagrilintide by Novo and a strong pipeline by Eli Lilly consisting of Orforglipron, Mazdutide, and retatrutide in their last stage of phase 3. Apart from the Duopoly, there are other promising drugs such as Cetilistat by Takeda, survodutide by Boehringer Ingelheim, and a new player Eurofarma with Sibutramine+topiromate XR. The robust obesity pipeline will provide more tailored treatment options with ever-effective and safe treatment that will address more of the market’s unmet needs. The treatment costs on average range from $15,000 per Wegovy and $12,000 for Zepbound as list price respectively. The net price is half of that with a special private patient-accessible program of $6000-8000 per annum as out-of-pocket expenses. The prices in Europe and the rest of the world are much lower with prices ranging from $3500-1500 per patient per annum.
Obesity treatment costs will lead to overburdened budget implications that will create healthcare expenditure shockwaves, with predicted budget impact numbers going anywhere from $100-300 billion per annum by 2030 on obesity treatments alone. Just to give a perspective the 2023 overall sales of obesity drugs were merely $15 billion, with most sales coming from the US. It is estimated that the US government can save close to $300 billion by providing early access to obesity medicines (i.e., which treat other co-morbidities) coupled with holistic long-term solutions. One example is providing tailor-made medical solutions jointly with a digital holistic solution that includes: precision medicine diagnostic, tailored diet, tailored sports activities, nutrition recommendations, and behavioral support and education. Today over 40% of the private insurance in the US covers obesity medication (i.e., based on various pre-defined criteria). The coverage number is predicted to grow to 70% and more, with the release of new clinical data by drug companies, that will support the co-morbidities effect of obesity treatment and their long-term benefit. The long-term effect of obesity treatments is the pain point that most pharmaceutical companies are struggling with. Companies being scrutinized by insurance companies inevitably try to avoid short-term solutions that don’t hold pharmaeconomical sense. Hence, a digital solution is essential, to provide a holistic and long-lasting solution benefiting all the stakeholders involved. The goal of obesity stakeholders will be to have medicine-related-treatment in the short term, that will be tailored to the patient’s phenotype (i.e., it is clinically proven that obese patients suffer from various phenotypes that lead to their pathological condition).
Additionally, providing an envelope of solutions under one roof that will consist of the treatment recommendation by filling a robust questionnaire that compiles with the guidelines, and pairs reviewed recommendations, with new AI and ML diagnostic tools and behavioral digital analysis that can outcome in precise diagnostic and patient tailoring solutions. Continuing to tailor-made diet that sounds to the patient’s preference and limitation of food and lifestyle and continuing with sports activities that will be tailored to the patient’s phenotype and lifestyle preference, with an additional nutrition-tailored formula to augment the lifestyle improvement trajectory could result in an impactable outcome. Now take all of that and harness it to an AI coach that accomplishes you throughout the process in a proactive manner, and you have the ultimate solution that is long-lasting and could apply cost-effectively to benefit all stakeholders. Now manifest doing all of that from your coach at home through your mobile app and closing the whole loop (i.e., diagnostic, lifestyle recommendation, online doctor consultation, and online prescription), in less than an hour. This is the revolution that Obesio a digital solution company aims to orchestrate in an accessible fashion. It is clear today more than ever that insurance companies, patients, and caregivers are looking for a holistic solution that will fight the obesity pandemic, that looming on global expenditure and growth with implications that are way beyond being overweight. Obesity is becoming a global concern on a governmental level, as the associated implications of the disease could result in economic, demographic, and lifestyle impairment that will limit global growth.
Obesity will Inexorable apply budget challenges globally, nevertheless, it is inevitable to ignore the importance and the negative consequences of not treating the obesity pandemic earlier than later. It is the call of the hour for pharmaceutical companies to apply more responsibility by providing accessible prices to enlarge the treatment outreach. Compiling a holistic solution that offers a long-lasting solution combining treatment with digital health support to maintain weight loss beyond medicine is the key. McKenzie’s research indicates that companies that provide a holistic patient-centric approach that thinks “beyond the pill” and does not apply patient engagement only to the sales point, will outperform their peers. The patient journey trajectory of obesity will change for the better. With precise diagnostic, precision medicine recommendations, nutrition tailoring, and holistic support envelop that will secure patients to keep their weight lost and embrace it as a way of life. This is the ultimate way to create long-term values for all the stakeholders that will motivate them to commit to the solution. A holistic solution is the golden path to fighting obesity and the time is now. Learn more at www.obesio.com.