Anti-Obesity Drugs Market Revenue Forecast Report: Size, Share, Recent Trends, Strategic Developments, Segmentation Analysis, and Evolving Opportunities, 2023–2030

Market Overview

The anti-obesity drugs market is expected to reach USD 9,561.2 million by 2030 from USD 3,356.5 million (E) in 2023, at 16.1% compound annual growth rate during 2023–2030.

These pharmacologic medications control or decrease weight by altering either calorie absorption or appetite. These medications can be categorized into three major types based on their mode of action, namely those that suppress food intake, those that boost energy consumption, and those that prevent intestinal fat absorption.

The major driver for the market is the increasing prevalence of sedentary lifestyles, which are characterized by a lack of physical inactivity, fatty diet, excessive alcohol and tobacco consumption, and long hours sitting in a chair. The sedentary lifestyle is itself a result of the rapid urbanization, with the World Bank estimating that over 55% of the global population lives in cities.

Surging Incidence of Obesity Boosts Market

The increasing incidence of being overweight all over the world has resulted in a large number of patients with chronic and debilitating problems, as a result of which the demand for weight management drugs is rapidly increasing.

As per the World Health Organization, there are over 1 billion obese people globally, of which 39 million are children, 340 million are adolescents, and 650 million are adults. Additionally, the WHO expects that around 167 million individuals will be less healthy because of being obese or overweight by 2025.

Moreover, the increasing funding for research and development activities by pharmaceutical companies, to produce more-effective anti-obesity drugs, and the surging consciousness among people regarding the health-related complications of this condition drive the market growth.

Rising Consciousness regarding Weight Management Is Major Market Trend

The surging awareness of weight control is a key trend being observed around the world. Obesity is now considered an epidemic, as its incidence has surged at a significant rate in the last few decades. It creates a severe public health issue as it significantly raises the risk of chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular illnesses, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and high blood pressure.

This has heightened the level of awareness among people concerning the risk of not maintaining a healthy BMI, which has prompted many international and national agencies to implement educational and preventive strategies.

For instance, the WHO and its partners addressed everybody to make progress on this issue on March 4, 2022, on the occasion of World Obesity Day, as a means for preventing, enhancing understanding, and treating this condition. Furthermore, the agency stated that acting together can combat its epidemic and address its various root causes, to make a healthier future.

Such initiatives from international organizations and the implementation of strict regulations will boost the consciousness concerning disease conditions. Thus, various players in the market are developing more-effective drugs that seek to tackle various risk factors as well as the consequences of this condition.

Prescription Drugs Category Is Major Revenue Contributor

The prescription drugs category, based on type, was the larger contributor to the anti-obesity drugs market in 2023. This is because of the existence of major pharmaceutical companies with regulatory approvals for their products. These businesses are also entering into strategic partnerships to develop effective treatments and increasing their funding in research and development initiatives.

Moreover, because of the surging count of prescriptions from doctors, the sales of Rx pharmaceuticals are rising. People with any health condition generally prefer to see a doctor than going to a retail store and buying an OTC product based on their own knowledge. Further, the concerns regarding the quality, effectiveness, and safety of cheap over-the-counter drugs drives people to purchase prescription medications on the advice of a board-certified doctor.

Still, the OTC category will advance at a considerable rate during the projection period. This is mainly because of the rising access to e-commerce channels, because of which it is now easier for customers to buy over-the-counter weight management drugs online. Additionally, many reputed pharmaceutical companies offer OTC drugs apart from those available only on prescription. Hence, the reputation of Big Pharma’s Rx drugs somewhat influences people to trust their OTC products too.

Retail and Online Pharmacies To Witness Fast Sales Growth

Based on distribution channel, the retail and online pharmacy category will witness rapid growth in the forecast period because of the surging utilization of e-pharmacy platforms and the easy accessibility of general health medications on them. Additionally, an overweight patient needs continuous medication for long-term treatment, as it is a chronic condition. Here, retail and online pharmacies offer the convenience of repetitive purchases without having to go anywhere, which can be difficult for the morbidly obese.

Further, governments’ recent regulations to curb the sale of fraud and low-quality drugs mandate online pharmacies to only sell pharmaceuticals on the receipt of a genuine prescription from doctors (in the case of Rx drugs). This has helped build trust among patients in the e-pharmacy sector, which has been subject to people’s quality and safety concerns for some time now.

The hospital pharmacy category accounted for a significant share in 2023 as well. This is primarily because of the surging incidence of obesity and the rising demand for prescription-based medications to control it. Additionally, most people prefer to visit hospitals for diagnosis and treatment as these places provide comprehensive care under one roof. This saves patients the trouble of going anywhere else, as almost all hospitals have a dedicated drugstore.

Explore more about this report - Request free sample

North America Has Highest Demand for Weight Management Drugs

In 2022, the market was dominated by North America, and the situation will remain unchanged during the projection period. This is primarily ascribed to the high per capita income in the region, which, in turn, leads to a high expense on healthcare.

A 2021 report published by the National Library of Medicine, says that the spending by obese adults in the U.S. was almost 100%, or USD 2,500, more than other people. Moreover, as per the study, expenses increased with the obesity class, with those coming under class 3 accounting for a 233.6% increase, while those whose condition is classified as class 1 witnessing an increase of 68.4%.

Furthermore, the consumption of weight control drugs in the continent is propelled by the increasing awareness of the severe health risks being overweight poses and the rising spending by the younger population to maintain a healthy BMI.

Europe will continue to hold the second-largest share over the forecast period in the market. The rise in the demand for such pharmaceuticals in the region is credited to the presence of major drug manufacturers and their increasing R&D investments to produce more-effective and safer weight control medications.

For instance, as per the WHO European Regional Obesity Report 2022, this condition affect approximately 60% of the adults and almost one in three children (27% of the girls and 29% of the boys)‎ in Europe. Hungary, Lithuania, and Malta are some of the countries in Europe strongly affected by this epidemic, which is the 4th most-common risk factor for non-communicable diseases in the continent. It is also the major cause of disability, accounting for 7% of the total life lived as a disabled. Furthermore, this condition is associated with a higher COVID-19 mortality and morbidity risk.

APAC is likely to observe the fastest growth during the projection period, propelled by the mounting consumption of unhealthy diets and increasing number of people with sedentary lifestyles. Moreover, the rising consciousness of the health risks of being overwight, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, drives the need for medication that help control and prevent it in China, India, South Korea, and Japan.

Key Companies in Anti-Obesity Drugs Market

• F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.
• VIVUS LLC
• Currax Pharmaceuticals LLC
• GlaxoSmithKline plc
• C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG and Co. KG
• Pfizer Inc.
• Merck & Co. Inc.
• Takeda Pharmaceuticals Company Limited
• Eisai Co. Ltd.
• Novo Nordisk A/S
• Novartis AG
• Larimar Therapeutics Inc.
• Rhythm Pharmaceuticals Inc.
• Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
• Zydus Group
• Norgine B.V.