The arrival of Ozempic and similar GLP-1 drugs has already reshaped medicine and consumer behaviour in ways few anticipated. Millions of patients have lost unprecedented amounts of weight, grocery brands have redesigned products around people using these medications and insurers are studying how they may affect long-term mortality and chronic disease. But as significant as the impact has been, the next chapter may change the field even more dramatically, the Washington Post reported.
A new generation of GLP-1 therapies is expected to arrive within months, ranging from daily pills to stronger injectables and combination drugs that act on multiple hormonal pathways. These treatments promise easier use, broader metabolic benefits and in some cases a level of potency that exceeds anything currently available. Researchers caution that the drugs are still under regulatory review, but the anticipation surrounding them is high.
Pills could make GLP-1 medications far more accessible
Drugmakers expect the first daily weight-loss pills to be approved as early as 2026. Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have developed oral versions of their blockbuster drugs, offering an alternative for people reluctant to self-inject or unable to afford refrigerated pens. Pills also tend to be easier to distribute and may carry lower price tags, which could expand access in countries where injectable GLP-1s remain costly.
The trade-off is that early clinical trials show less dramatic weight loss than injections. Patients in oral drug studies typically lost around 11 to 14 percent of body weight over a year, compared with 15 to 20 percent for the most powerful injectables. But researchers say that convenience, cost and wider insurance coverage could still make pills a turning point for the market.
Stronger injectables may push weight loss into new territory
Companies are also advancing injectable drugs designed to stimulate more than one appetite-related hormone. Current GLP-1 medications target one or two pathways, while Eli Lilly is developing a compound that activates three. In mid-stage trials, patients on the highest dose lost more than 24 percent of their body weight in under a year — a level that obesity specialists say approaches the effectiveness of bariatric surgery.
Researchers emphasise that results may vary once larger and longer trials are completed. Regulators will also need to evaluate safety, especially after concerns about excessive weight loss or changes in muscle mass. Even so, specialists expect that some patients with severe obesity will require these more powerful agents when they become available.
Drugmakers are also combining molecules to reduce side effects
Side effects such as nausea, gastrointestinal discomfort and loss of lean mass remain common reasons patients stop existing GLP-1 drugs. In response, companies are testing combinations designed to deliver similar weight loss with fewer drawbacks. One leading candidate pairs semaglutide — the compound behind Ozempic and Wegovy — with a second hormone called amylin. Early results suggest the blend may support around 20 percent weight loss with potentially less strain on the digestive system.
Another line of research focuses on adjusting hormonal signalling to preserve muscle. Early data from trials combining appetite-regulating pathways show promising reductions in fat while maintaining more lean tissue, which specialists consider crucial for long-term metabolic health.
Monthly injections could replace weekly doses
Beyond pills and stronger weekly injectables, several companies are racing to deliver a drug that requires only one injection a month. If successful, this class would remove one of the most significant barriers for patients who struggle with adherence to weekly dosing.
A biotech recently acquired for billions of dollars is developing monthly formulations now entering trials, while other companies are reporting mid-stage results showing meaningful weight loss over a year. Analysts say monthly dosing could become a major commercial and clinical milestone, especially for patients managing weight alongside other chronic illness.
The current drugs may still endure
Even with new treatments on the horizon, specialists say today’s GLP-1 medications are unlikely to disappear. Years of safety data, approvals for cardiovascular risk reduction and expanded indications for conditions such as sleep apnoea give these drugs an advantage that newcomers will have to match. Market competition and new pricing policies are already bending costs downward, which could make current medications even more attractive unless alternatives deliver clearly superior outcomes.
Still, the shift underway is unmistakable. With multiple drug classes, delivery systems and hormonal targets now in development, the next five years could redefine what medical weight loss looks like — and who has access to it.
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