Can PFE Successfully Return to the Obesity Space With Metsera Buyout?

Core Insights - Pfizer (PFE) has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Metsera (MTSR), a developer of obesity drugs, to re-enter the obesity market after discontinuing its own weight-loss pill, danuglipron [1][5]. Company Summary - Pfizer will acquire Metsera's shares for $47.50 per share, totaling an enterprise value of $4.9 billion, with an additional contingent value right (CVR) of up to $22.50 per share based on clinical and regulatory milestones [2][10]. - The acquisition includes Metsera's four clinical-stage programs, notably the GLP-1 receptor agonist MET-097i, which is currently in phase II studies [3][10]. - The boards of both companies have unanimously approved the transaction, expected to close in Q4 2025, pending shareholder approvals [4]. Industry Summary - The obesity market is projected to grow to $100 billion by 2030, with Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) currently leading the market with their GLP-1 injections [6]. - Other companies, including Amgen and Viking Therapeutics, are also developing advanced GLP-1-based candidates in late-stage studies [7]. - Metsera's products are in early development stages, with potential market entry around 2028-2029, indicating that Pfizer may lag behind competitors in this highly competitive space [8]. - Other large pharmaceutical companies, such as AbbVie, Roche, and Merck, are also entering the obesity market through licensing deals with smaller biotech firms [9][11][12].