After Ozempic: the next obesity drugs aim for more weight loss, less muscle loss
A review in Science looks at the next wave of obesity drugs. Generic semaglutide is already sold in India, but patents may delay it in Spain until 2031.
Ozempic and similar drugs changed how the world talks about obesity. Now a review published in Science looks at what comes next.
The new generation of obesity drugs is aiming for three things: more weight loss, less muscle lost along the way, and a lower risk of the weight coming back once treatment stops.
The review also flags a practical problem. Generic versions of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, are already on sale in India and Brazil. In Spain, though, patents will delay their arrival until 2031.
If you need some background, the boom began when the US FDA approved Wegovy (semaglutide) for weight loss in 2021. In 2023 it approved Eli Lilly's tirzepatide, sold as Zepbound for obesity.
So the science is moving fast, but access still depends heavily on where you live.
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