Pfizer has pulled the plug on its once-promising obesity pill danuglipron after safety issues emerged during early testing—another blow to Big Pharma’s ongoing efforts to corner the lucrative obesity drug market.
According to the company, development stopped after a participant in a clinical trial showed signs of a potential drug-induced liver injury. The once-daily version of danuglipron was still in the initial phase of testing, with researchers attempting to determine the safest and most effective dosage. Pfizer has now confirmed it will also discontinue tests combining the drug with other medications to combat obesity.
This isn’t the first red flag for danuglipron. In 2023, Pfizer abandoned its twice-daily version of the pill, despite moving into mid-stage trials, after a number of participants dropped out due to intolerable side effects.
While other weight-loss drugs such as Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy remain on the market—both requiring injections—pharmaceutical companies have been scrambling to develop pill-based alternatives. The demand stems largely from patients who prefer to avoid needles and the hassle of daily injections. But the failure of danuglipronhighlights just how complex and risky that endeavor can be.
Despite this setback, Pfizer claims it hasn’t given up on developing obesity treatments altogether. The company says it will focus on other experimental drugs currently in early-stage trials.
As Americans continue to face an obesity epidemic, many are looking to pharmaceutical fixes as a silver bullet. But this latest development raises a cautionary flag: faster and easier isn’t always safer.
