After Novo Nordisk A/S' (NYSE:NVO) launch of the first oral GLP-1 weight-loss drug, the spotlight at the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference turned sharply toward obesity treatments and what comes next for the rapidly expanding market.
Citing an interview at the conference, CNBC on Wednesday said Ray Stevens, CEO of Structure Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:GPCR), outlined how his company plans to position itself as a key contender as oral therapies gain traction.
Stevens said the coming year will be pivotal as Structure prepares to advance its daily oral GLP-1 candidate, aleniglipron, into Phase 3 trials.
He expects recently approved and upcoming pills from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE:LLY) to see strong launches, creating momentum for the broader category.
Structure drew investor attention after releasing Phase 2 data showing aleniglipron helped patients with obesity lose around 11% of their body weight at 36 weeks, adjusted for placebo, sending shares more than 100% higher.
CNBC noted that Stevens said the company is encouraged by the drug's efficacy and tolerability profile.
In the mid-stage study, no patients who started on the lowest dose discontinued treatment due to side effects, a result he views as supportive of long-term use.
What Could Make Aleniglipron Competitive
When asked what could make aleniglipron competitive, Stevens pointed to four factors. First, he highlighted efficacy, noting that a higher dose led to weight loss of up to 15.3% at 36 weeks—results he said some rivals are reporting only after much longer treatment periods.
Stevens said Structure has not observed drug-related liver injuries across studies, an issue that has complicated development for other experimental oral obesity drugs.
Manufacturing cost also plays a role. As a small-molecule pill, aleniglipron can be produced at scale, which Stevens said positions the company to supply the U.S. market efficiently.
Finally, Stevens emphasized the drug's ability to be combined with other therapies. Structure has shown that pairing its oral GLP-1 with an amylin-targeting drug produced synergistic effects, and Stevens said the pill could also be combined with treatments for other conditions, such as cholesterol-lowering drugs.
CEO Stevens also warned that the rise of unapproved alternatives could undermine new entrants even before they reach patients. "It's the thing I fear the most," he said.
"We've really got to get this compounding issue under control," Stevens said in an interview.
GPCR Price Action: Structure Therapeutics shares were up 0.03% at $91.90 during premarket trading on Friday. The stock is trading near its 52-week high of $94.90, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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