Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are drugs that mimic a natural human hormone to encourage insulin production and reduce hunger cues, among other actions. While these medications were initially indicated to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, use of this class of drugs is only expected to increase as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves expanded indications. In fact, J.P. Morgan predicts that, by 2030, 30 million people in the United States, or around 9% of the population, will use a GLP-1 medication.¹  

That’s why Prime Therapeutics (Prime) is excited to announce the latest of its industry-leading publications, the GLP-1 Pipeline Update, which shares what’s on the horizon for GLP-1 medications.  

To learn more about this publication and the insights it shares, the Prime newsroom team caught up with Maryam Tabatabai, PharmD, vice president of clinical information, and Carole Kerzic, RPh, drug information pharmacist, who are part of the team of clinical experts that collaboratively curate this new publication.  

What is the new GLP-1 Pipeline Update publication, and what should readers expect to learn from each edition?  
Carole Kerzic (CK): The GLP-1 Pipeline Update is a snapshot of what’s on the horizon for this class of agents. In it, we report on GLP-1s that are FDA approved, and we also look down the road at new GLP-1s and new indications being studied. We provide the reader with the estimated approval time based on available data.

The information presented in each publication is broken down a few different ways. Can you share how and why the information is presented in this way? How is that helpful to clinical experts? 
Maryam Tabatabai (MT): We’ve received several questions around what to expect for GLP-1 medications, namely what’s coming and when. So, we’ve broken down the data so it’s interactive and allows the reader to decide how they want to review the content based on what’s coming in the future or by expected indication. We also provided an option of downloading a PDF with a bird’s eye view of approved and pipeline GLP-1s. We’ve already received positive client feedback on our data. This work is important to Prime as we recognize the value of timely data and credible insights that can help clients and members better understand this fluid landscape.  

What new indications for GLP-1s are expected in the coming months? 
CK: Semaglutide (Ozempic) is expected to get a new indication for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy in adults with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The FDA is expected to make a decision in January 2025. In addition, tirzepatide (Zepbound) was submitted to the FDA for the treatment of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity with and without positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy.²  The FDA’s decision on this could be as early as this month.

What other conditions could GLP-1s potentially be used to treat? 
MT: GLP-1s are being evaluated in phase 3 trials to treat a wide variety of conditions, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), prediabetes, Alzheimer's disease, diabetic retinopathy and osteoarthritis of the knee in patients with obesity.³  We’re also following research in earlier phases or small trials, and these include the evaluation of indications such as cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), asthma, substance or alcohol use disorder and as an add-on to insulin for type 1 diabetes. Many of these trials are very small, so it’s important to note that it’s too early to know if GLP-1s will provide benefit to patients with these conditions.

To read the GLP-1 Pipeline Update, visit PrimeTherapeutics.com/Read. 

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References 

1.  J.P. Morgan. (2023, November 29). The increase in appetite for obesity drugs. J.P. Morgan Research. https://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/global-research/current-events/obesity-drugs
2. Eli Lilly and Company. (2024, June 21). Lilly’s tirzepatide reduced obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity, with up to 51.5% of participants meeting the criteria for disease resolution. PR Newswire: press release distribution, targeting, monitoring and marketing. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lillys-tirzepatide-reduced-obstructive-sleep-apnea-osa-severity-with-up-to-51-5-of-participants-meeting-the-criteria-for-disease-resolution-302179373.html
3. Clinicaltrials.gov. ClinicalTrials.gov. (n.d.). https://clinicaltrials.gov/