SummaryCompaniesDemand for self-injection weight-loss drugs is skyrocketing, leading to a potential $100 billion market within a decade. Contract drug manufacturers are investing billions of dollars to expand or build factories that fill the injection pens used for these treatments, such as Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy. Interviews with industry experts reveal that pharmaceutical services companies are competing to secure more of the specialized work of filling the syringes, known as fill-finish. The popularity of Wegovy, along with the anticipated approval of Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, has driven the demand for GLP-1 agonists, a class of drugs that mimic the body’s appetite-suppressing hormones. Companies like WuXi Biologics and Catalent are expanding their pre-filled syringe capacity to meet this growing demand. The race among contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) to secure business in this sector has led to several multi-billion dollar projects. With the launch of Mounjaro and the increasing demand for Wegovy, the competition is intensifying. Companies like Thermo Fisher are even converting facilities to handle pens for obesity and diabetes medicines due to the shortage of capacity. The terms of potential contracts remain undisclosed by the companies involved.
Article from www.reuters.com