Oral obesity treatment trials on track, head of Japan's Chugai says

Pharma company also pursuing anti-obesity drug with fewer side effects

20241029 Osamu Okuda, president and CEO of Chugai Pharmaceutical interview main image

Japan's Chugai Pharmaceutical is working on two potential obesity treatments together with Eli Lilly and Roche. (Photos by Takaki Kashiwabara and Manami Yamada)

MITSURU OBE, Nikkei Asia chief business news correspondent

TOKYO -- Chugai Pharmaceutical has high hopes for obesity treatments it is working on with global partners Eli Lilly and Roche, as Japan's most profitable drugmaker focuses on its core strengths.

Chugai, which is 61% owned by Swiss drugmaker Roche, has two candidates for treating obesity. One is orforglipron, an oral medicine that would join existing weight-loss medications Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound, both of which are administered by injection.

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