Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) injections are a commonplace treatment for type 2 diabetes, helping to improve blood sugar control. However, one of the drug’s side effects is weight loss, and in recent years the GLP-1 market has exploded as the injections become an increasingly standard prescription for obesity.
In GlobalData’s State of the Biopharmaceutical Industry Mid-Year Report 2024 – a survey of over 120 pharma professionals – anti-obesity medications were rated as the most impactful industry trend for the next 12 months, ahead of personalised medicine and cell and gene therapy. As a result, GlobalData predicts that GLP-1 will exceed sales of $125 billion by 2033, of which 90% will come from weight loss treatment.
The rapid expansion of the GLP-1 market is providing the pharma world with many opportunities, but there remain challenges in product delivery. As a patient-administered injectable, GLP-1 manufacturers need to collaborate with experts across the supply chain to ensure the drug is safe and easy to use. Smart packaging solutions could be the key to staying ahead of the curve in this fast-paced and increasingly crowded market.
GLP-1 market predicted to grow to $125 billion
Aside from lowering blood sugar levels, GLP-1 agonists also suppress appetite and reduce caloric intake. While these side effects used to be nothing but inadvertent, GLP-1 is now taking on a second life as a weight loss drug in a world where obesity is increasingly prevalent. Seen by many health experts as a global epidemic, obesity presents significant health risks, including heart disease and high blood pressure. Bringing down obesity rates is essential to reducing strain on health services and improving the general well-being of the population.
According to GlobalData, the number of obese people in the seven major pharmaceutical markets (the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and Japan) is set to increase at an annual growth rate (AGR) of 0.57% over the next decade, reaching 161.5 million cases in 2033. GLP-1 as a weight loss drug therefore has enormous market potential. Indeed, its application as an obesity medication has already seen it rise to become one of the top-selling drugs globally. GlobalData intelligence finds that Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, a GLP-1 medication, is the second-best-selling drug worldwide in 2024, up from sixth place in 2023.
Other applications of GLP-1 are also being explored, creating further avenues for potential growth. “Companies are investigating GLP-1 agonist use in many more areas, such as neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, or other metabolic diseases such as NASH [nonalcoholic steatohepatitis],” explains Costanza Alciati, an analyst at GlobalData.
GLP-1 supply needs to keep ahead of rising demand
With rapid market expansion already underway, the pharma industry is struggling to keep up with demand. Since the applications of GLP-1 are only set to increase, the industry needs to establish a strong supply chain and collaborate with trusted partners to stay abreast of the rising GLP-1 wave.
Intermittent supply and shortages of the drug are already having an effect in key markets. In the UK, diabetics in England and Northern Ireland are being offered Mounjaro if they are unable to access Ozempic, Trulicity, or other GLP-1 medications. To ensure this life-saving treatment remains available to all who need it, manufacturers must scale up production quickly.
However, GLP-1 differs somewhat from other medications in that is injected at home by the patient. GLP-1 pens can be used multiple times, but a new needle must be inserted with each fresh injection. To make the administration process simple and safe for patients, pharma companies must work with partners who are experts in primary packaging for GLP-1.
Some companies are developing oral candidates to improve drug administration in the face of needle aversion. “Ultimately, this is a market driven by staff shortages rather than patient preference,” notes Dr Andrew Thompson, director of therapy research and analysis for medical devices at GlobalData. “COVID-19 showed that there was about a 10-15% needle aversion in the population. For GLP-1, nurse-led training is likely to be needed in the patient’s own home. Some of these patients will have limited mobility and may need help administering the drug.”
Manufacturers can help patients by providing clear storage instructions, for example, what temperature to store the medication, as well as straightforward guidance on dosage, including how, when, and where to inject the drug. All the necessary accessory devices should be provided, from alcohol wipes to safety needles and sharps containers. Such provisions will reassure patients and ensure GLP-1 injections are carried out accurately and effectively.
Delivery device solutions to make GLP-1 injection safe and easy
To further facilitate the use of GLP-1, manufacturers should employ medical devices that make regular injections an undaunting task. Additionally, as the use of GLP-1 rises, injection pens need to become adjustable and capable of administering different doses according to a patient’s requirements.
“Customers are, of course, adept at developing their medical devices and understanding what their product needs to do, but they might not be as conversant in what their assembly and manufacturing needs are,” says Bill Jaworski, sales director at Mikron Automation. “As their partner, we help them de-risk their programmes, enabling them to move more quickly into commercialisation and high-scale manufacturing.”
Leading pharma assembly systems manufacturer Mikron Automation offers auto-injectors and pen injectors assembly solutions which are currently used by some of the world’s largest GLP-1 providers. Headquartered in Switzerland, but with manufacturing locations across Europe, Asia, and North America, Mikron offers top-of-the-range injectable solutions assembly solutions and is capable of meeting the demands of an expanding GLP-1 market.
In many cases, the assembly system must be designed and built in parallel with the final design of the new product. During Mikron’s Pre-Production Services, Mikron works side-by-side with its clients to de-risk production processes before manufacturing begins, enabling a smoother, speedier transition to commercial-scale production. By ensuring that products are well designed for high-speed assembly and automation upfront, Pre-Production Services reduce the chance of costly, time-consuming changes downstream. In the rapidly evolving GLP-1 market, this expertise and adaptability is invaluable to the company’s partners.
To learn more about Mikron Automation injectable solutions, download the free report below.
