More than 100 diseases are now being investigated in global clinical trials using GLP-1 therapies, according to new analysis from Phesi.
Initially developed for diabetes management and later embraced for weight loss, GLP-1s are now being tested across a much broader spectrum of conditions, including multiple cancers, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), polycystic ovary syndrome and even neurological disorders.
Phesi’s review of 583 ongoing or planned trials highlights obesity as the leading focus (63 trials), followed by type 2 diabetes (33), type 1 diabetes (18), MASLD (15) and polycystic ovary syndrome (12). The findings suggest GLP-1s are moving from being single-disease treatments to interventions with potential impact across clusters of related conditions.
“GLP-1s began in diabetes, moved into obesity and now we’re seeing increasing application across a spectrum of diseases with shared risk profiles,” said Dr Gen Li, Founder and President, Phesi. “GLP-1s are forcing a re-evaluation of how we define, diagnose and treat disease – prevention is emerging as the new blockbuster.”
But the surge in interest is creating challenges for clinical development. The Phesi report notes that average obesity trial cycle times have more than doubled in the past two decades, from 10–20 months to 25–45 months. This increase is mainly due to tougher competition and more complex patient recruitment, as patients often have multiple conditions that require more detailed trial designs and longer follow-up.
Offering a way forward, Jonathan Peachey, Chief Operating Officer, Phesi, highlighted the role of advanced analytics in the report, stating: “Sophisticated clinical data analytics, combining RWD and disease modelling, will unlock insights that optimise clinical operations, reduce costs, drive down patient and investigator site burden and enhance regulatory strategies.”
The analysis suggests GLP-1s could herald a new era of multi-disease prevention, but only if the industry adapts its clinical models to feature new, more advanced technology. Only time will tell if overcoming these hurdles will be enough to enable their meteoric rise into new medical spheres, with many patients potentially set to benefit.
