Pfizer ends oral obesity drug development

14 April 2025

US pharma giant Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) has announced that it is discontinuing development of danuglipron (PF-06882961), an oral glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, which was being investigated for chronic weight management.

Pfizer’s dose-optimization studies of once-daily formulations of danuglipron did meet key pharmacokinetic objectives and confirmed a formulation and dose with the potential to deliver a competitive efficacy and tolerability profile in Phase III testing, based on earlier studies of twice-daily danuglipron. 

However, while the overall frequency of liver enzyme elevations across the over 1,400 participant safety database of danuglipron is in-line with approved agents in the class, a single asymptomatic participant in one of the dose-optimization studies experienced potential drug-induced liver injury which resolved after discontinuation of the drug. 

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