GLP-1 RECEPTOR AGONIST MARKET ANALYSIS

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists bind to GLP-1 receptors and activate it to stimulate physiological processes in the body. GLP-1 receptor agonists interact with GLP-1 receptors present in the pancreatic beta cells to stimulate insulin secretion. Thus, GLP-1 receptor agonists can be used for the treatment of diabetes. The benefits of using GLP-1 receptor agonist for the treatment of type-2 diabetes include inhibition of glucagon production from pancreatic alpha cells in case of high blood sugar levels. Glucagon is a hormone responsible for increasing the concentration of glucose in the blood by stimulating the liver to convert glycogen into glucose. Moreover, GLP-1 receptor agonists can promote proliferation of pancreatic beta-cell and decrease its apoptosis or cell death. Also, GLP-1 receptor agonists slow down emptying of gastric juices which leads to slow release of nutrients from the food, thus it prevents spiking of blood glucose levels. GLP-1 receptor agonists can also be used to treat several other conditions such as obesity, liver cirrhosis, cardiovascular disease, and others.

The global GLP-1 receptor agonist market is estimated to be valued at US$ 12,720.6 million in 2021 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 6.1% over the forecast period (2021-2028).

Figure 1. Global GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Market Share (%), By Region, 2021

The increasing incidence of diabetes and obesity is expected to drive the growth of the global GLP-1 receptor agonist market over the forecast period.

According to International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas: 2017, the number of people with diabetes aged between 20 to 79 years in South and Central America region in 2017 was 26 million. This number is estimated to increase 62% in 2045, accounting for 42 million.

Moreover, according to an article published by the Nature scientific journal in May 2021, the combined prevalence of obesity in Australia was estimated to be 26% in 2019 and it is estimated that it will reach 35% by 2025.

Figure 2. Global GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Market Value (US$ Mn), By Drug Class, 2021

The increasing research and development activities for the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of diabetes and obesity is expected to drive the market growth over the forecast period.

Key players operating in the market are focusing on submitting application for the approval of drugs therapy for the treatment of diabetes and obesity, which is expected to drive growth of the global GLP-1 receptor agonist market during the forecast period.

For instance, in April 2020, Novo Nordisk A/S, a Denmark-based pharmaceutical company, received marketing authorization approval from European Medicines Agency (EMA) for its drug, Rybelsus (semaglutide) which is an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist indicated for the treatment of Type-2 diabetic people.

Moreover, in July 2020, 9 Meters Biopharma, Inc., a U.S.-based clinical-stage rare gastroenterology company, announced that the company had initiated Phase 1b/2a clinical trial to assess the efficacy and safety of its drug candidate NM-002, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist in adults with short bowel syndrome (SBS). Short Bowel Syndrome is a rare gastrointestinal disease caused by a significant shortening of the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in impairment of nutrient absorption. NM-002 is an injectable designed to treat gastric motility in short bowel syndrome patients by slowing emptying time of stomach’s digestive juices.

Furthermore, in September 2020, Eli Lilly and Company, a U.S.-based pharmaceutical company, received the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for two additional doses of its GLP-1 receptor agonist drug, Trulicity (dulaglutide). Trulicity is indicated for treatment of adults suffering from type-2 diabetes.

Global GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Market – Impact of Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic

SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus) was first reported from Wuhan, China in December 2019 and was declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), which designates this SARS-CoV-2 infection as novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). According to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiological Update by the World Health Organization, COVID-19 has spread across the globe infecting over 211 million population leading to more than 4.4 million deaths as of 22 August, 2021. The negative impact of COVID-19 on the healthcare domain is huge and it has significantly disrupted the healthcare industries’ entire supply chain, from raw materials to manufacturing and delivery. However, many research studies report that COVID-19 is associated with obesity.  GLP-1 receptor agonists can be used to treat obesity thus, COVID-19 pandemic is expected to aid the overall growth of global GLP-1 receptor agonist market during the pandemic.

According to the COVID-19 and Obesity: The 2021 Atlas published by the World Obesity Federation, it has been reported that higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with increased risk of hospitalization and death in patients suffering from COVID-19. The same source states that a study conducted in the U.S. population reported around 10.5% of positive COVID-19 test results were attributable to obesity in the period between March 1, 2020 and May 14, 2020.

Global GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Market Restraint

The adverse effects associated with the use of GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs and product recalls by market players are the factors that are expected to hinder growth of the global GLP-1 receptor agonist market over the forecast period. For instance, in July 2017, GlaxoSmithKline plc, a U.K.-based pharmaceutical company, announced withdrawal of its GLP-1 receptor agonist drug, Tanzeum (albiglutide), from the global market due to declining sales and risk of renal impairment, pancreatitis, and diabetic ketoacidosis in diabetic patients.

Key Players

Major players operating in the global GLP-1 receptor agonist market include Eli Lilly and Company, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Novo Nordisk A/S, PegBio Co., Ltd., AstraZeneca, Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sanofi, Hanmi Pharm. Co., Ltd., Pfizer Inc., Amgen Inc., Innovent Biologics, Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co., Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd., and 9 Meters Biopharma, Inc.