Actively Speaking Podcast

The GLP-1 Revolution

Mar 14, 2024
Tim Wingard, a healthcare investment expert at TD Epic, dives into the transformative world of GLP-1 drugs. He discusses their origins and the groundbreaking success of semaglutide in weight loss. Wingard reveals how these drugs could reduce healthcare costs related to obesity and speculates on societal impacts like reduced calorie consumption. He also touches on the potential links between GLP-1s and Alzheimer's research, alongside the challenges of long-term adherence and side effects. This conversation uncovers the multifaceted implications of a drug revolution.
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INSIGHT

Decades-Long Development Unlocks Weight-Loss Use

  • GLP-1 drugs like liraglutide and semaglutide were decades in the making and originally targeted diabetes.
  • Chemical modifications extended duration and later trials revealed substantial weight-loss effects that expanded their market potential.
INSIGHT

Current Sales Versus Sky-High Expectations

  • Semaglutide and tirzepatide generated roughly $25–30B in sales in 2023 combined.
  • Consensus forecasts push that toward ~$100B by 2030, implying a material expansion of the global biologics market.
INSIGHT

Weight Loss Could Reduce Broad Healthcare Costs

  • Obesity increases the risk of many costly diseases including diabetes, kidney disease, osteoarthritis, cancer, and Alzheimer's.
  • Reducing obesity could therefore cut wide-ranging healthcare spending beyond the drugs themselves.
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