Industry Overview - The global weight loss drug market is projected to grow from $15 billion in 2024 to $150 billion by 2035, indicating a significant expansion opportunity [1] - Currently, 11% of the global eligible population of 1.3 billion people are using weight-loss drugs, with 20% in the U.S. and 10% in other countries [2] - The market growth is attributed to expanded supply, clinical benefits for other diseases, and increasing employer drug coverage [2] Market Dynamics - The obesity drug market is transitioning from a novelty phase to a focus on execution, scale, cost-control, and ecosystem management [5] - Industry experts compare the current weight-loss drug market to the smartphone market of 2015-2016, suggesting a maturation phase [4] - There is increasing pressure on drug manufacturers to deliver weight-loss drugs at scale and manage costs effectively [6] Company Insights Novo Nordisk - Year-to-date performance shows a decline of 45.49%, with a significant drop of 55% over the past year [9] - The company has reached an agreement to expand consumer access to GLP-1 medicines, which may enhance market position [10] - Novo is offering weight-loss drugs at a direct-to-consumer price of $349 per month, with a dividend yield of 2.52% [11] Eli Lilly - Year-to-date performance indicates a decline of 36.1%, but the company is experiencing rapid growth in its obesity drug portfolio [12] - Eli Lilly's obesity drugs generated $10.1 billion in Q3 2025, up from $4.3 billion in Q3 2024, with a projected peak revenue of $101 billion [12] - The company has a strong financial outlook with $59.4 billion in revenues and a three-year expected growth rate of 17.1% annually [13] Viking Therapeutics - Year-to-date performance shows a decline of 17.20%, with a market cap of $3 billion [14] - The company is awaiting clearance for its phase three trials for VK2735, which has shown strong growth potential [14] - Viking is positioned favorably for potential partnerships or acquisitions due to its strong data and small-cap valuation [15]