There’s a growing obesity epidemic in the United States. Currently, almost 80 million people in the U.S. are obese, with two out of every three Americans considered to be either obese or overweight.
The obesity rate in 1990 was 12 percent, which nearly doubled to 23 percent in 2005. It increased to 35 percent by 2010 and now exceeds 38 percent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has projected the U.S. obesity rate to exceed 42 percent by 2030.
This rampant increase persists while obesity remains one of the most significant drivers of preventable chronic diseases and health care costs in the United States. Estimates for obesity-related health care costs range from $147 billion to well over $200 billion annually.
This epidemic presents enormous opportunity for pharmaceutical companies targeting obesity. Analysts estimate that the worldwide market for obesity drugs, devices, and surgical procedures totals hundreds of billions of dollars. Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) introduced Saxenda, its first medical treatment for obesity, to the market over a year ago. Results have been promising, but Saxenda is expensive and requires patient injections. Vivus (NASDAQ: VVUS) and Arena (NASDAQ: ARNA) both introduced weight loss drugs designed with the intention of aiding obese people with a BMI of 30 or higher. Neither of these drugs has captured attention or market share like orlistat.
Orlistat, the best-selling weight loss medication of all time, is marketed in different formats by Roche (OTCQX: RHHBY) and GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK). Orlistat has proven safe and effective in over 100 clinical trials, however, orlistat produces unpleasant gastrointestinal effects that have led to significant sales declines.
Less than a year ago, M Pharmaceutical, Inc. (OTCQB: MPHMF) acquired exclusive rights to a reformulation of orlistat, the obesity drug C-103, in both prescription strength and over-the-counter formulations. With three patient studies completed, M Pharmaceutical’s reformulation of orlistat was shown to eliminate the adverse effects in 98 percent of trial patients.
With patent protection in 131 countries through 2030, M Pharmaceutical has global designs for its reformulation of orlistat and may exceed current orlistat to become the best-selling weight loss medication of all time.
For more information, visit www.M-Pharma.ca
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