New diabetes and obesity drugs are having a disruptive impact, not just across health care but also a range of other sectors and industries.
The introduction of GLP-1s could revolutionise health care. These drugs are not only effective in treating obesity but also have the potential to combat over 200 related diseases, promising significant long-term health savings and improved patient outcomes.
While GLP-1 receptors are concentrated in the pancreas, evidence is growing that GLP-1 drugs can interact directly with GLP-1 receptors found in other organs.
May reduce alcohol cravings, and early evidence suggests a possible role in avoiding neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
May reduce fat buildup in those with fatty liver disease.
May reduce inflammation in the lungs and other organs, although it's unclear how much of this is due to weight loss.
May preserve kidney function in those with chronic kidney disease.
May reduce inflammation in the heart and circulatory system.
May speed the breakdown of fat cells to produce energy.
We believe we were early in understanding the promise of GLP-1s, below are just some of the ways GLP-1s have the potential to impact various sectors beyond healthcare.
GLP-1s could shift consumer preferences towards healthier choices, impacting fast food and snack industries. Alcohol consumption may also decline as these drugs help combat addictive behaviours.
Improved health outcomes could lower healthcare costs and claims, influencing health insurance premiums and policies.
The demand for bariatric surgery may decrease, while eligibility for knee and hip surgeries could increase as patients achieve healthier weight.
Healthier populations could lead to enhanced productivity, reduced absenteeism, and lower healthcare costs for employers, benefiting the overall economy.
Reduced food consumption and waste could positively impact sustainability goals and reduce the carbon footprint of food production and distribution.
GLP-1 treatments are poised to reshape the health care sector.
Company research tour: Eli Lilly
The success of GLP-1s in reducing weight has led some to predict industry-disruptive impacts for the medtech industry, as demand for medical devices and surgical procedures could be greatly reduced.
Anti-obesity medications could play a key role in balancing the food trilemma.
Large language models are learning to speak the language of biology and are being deployed in developing new drugs, both small molecule and biologics.
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All information is as at 31 March 2024, unless specified.
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