肝损伤拖累，辉瑞退出减肥药竞争，放弃开发口服减肥药Danuglipron

Core Viewpoint - Pfizer has announced the discontinuation of its oral weight loss drug Danuglipron due to potential liver damage observed in a clinical trial patient [1][2]. Group 1: Company Actions - Pfizer will not advance Danuglipron into the final testing phase and will instead focus on early-stage weight loss treatments [2]. - This decision follows previous setbacks in the weight loss drug sector, including the abandonment of a twice-daily formulation of Danuglipron due to high rates of nausea and vomiting in a mid-stage study involving approximately 1,400 participants [4]. - The company had previously halted another oral weight loss drug due to concerning liver effects observed in clinical trials [5]. Group 2: Market Impact - The announcement led to a pre-market decline of about 1% in Pfizer's stock, while competitors Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly saw stock increases of 4.6% and 2.3%, respectively [2]. - Viking Therapeutics, another biotech company developing weight loss drugs, experienced a pre-market surge of 20% following the news [2]. Group 3: Competitive Landscape - The weight loss drug market is projected to reach a market size of $130 billion by the end of the century, highlighting the competitive nature of this sector [2]. - Eli Lilly's weekly injection Zepbound has rapidly approached annual sales of nearly $5 billion after receiving U.S. approval in 2023, while AstraZeneca and Structure Therapeutics are also developing their own oral weight loss drugs [5]. Group 4: Strategic Implications - Analysts suggest that Pfizer's decision may relieve some investor concerns regarding Danuglipron's competitiveness against other weight loss drugs [5]. - The discontinuation of Danuglipron may prompt Pfizer to seek acquisition opportunities to fill the gap in its product line [5]. - The decision adds pressure on Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla, who has viewed the company's product line as a potentially underestimated source of future growth, especially as the company is expected to lose approximately $15 billion in revenue due to key drugs losing patent protection by the end of the century [5].