Obesity pharmacotherapy reimagined: The era of multi-receptor agonists and next-generation metabolic modulators, perspectives and controversies.
This narrative review examines the rapidly evolving landscape of obesity pharmacotherapy, moving beyond currently approved injectable GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs). The authors contextualize the global obesity burden—affecting over 2 billion adults—and acknowledge the transformative but limited success of existing GLP-1-based therapies, citing weight loss plateaus, high inter-individual variability, and weight regain upon discontinuation as key unresolved challenges. The review synthesizes emerging drug classes including: oral GLP-1 agonists (e.g., orforglipron) aimed at improving global accessibility; multi-receptor agonists such as triple GLP-1/GIP/glucagon agonists (e.g., retatrutide, reportedly achieving 20–24% weight reduction) and dual GLP-1/glucagon agonists (e.g., survodutide, mazdutide) with potential benefits in metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease; novel dosing strategies via GLP-1/GIP combination agents (e.g., maridebart cafraglutide); amylin pathway agents (e.g., cagrilintide, amycretin); lean-mass-preserving agents (e.g., bimagrumab); and precision approaches for monogenic obesity (e.g., setmelanotide). The authors call for phenotype-stratified trials, long-term safety data, pediatric research, and equitable implementation. As a review, it does not present original trial data and is inherently subject to selection and interpretation bias.
Why this grade: This is a narrative review synthesizing existing literature on emerging obesity pharmacotherapies; it generates no original clinical or experimental data, so its evidence grade reflects the review study type rather than direct human trial evidence.
Obesity affects over 2 billion adults globally, with projections indicating that nearly two-thirds of adults will be affected by 2050. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have transformed obesity treatment, achieving weight loss previously considered attainable only with bariatric surgery. However, GLP-1-based therapies have revealed important limitations, including weight loss plateaus, substantial inter-individual variability, and weight regain upon discontinuation, underscoring the need for next-generation approaches. Existing reviews have focused predominantly on approved GLP-1RAs, with limited synthesis of emerging multi-receptor agonists, oral formulations, and body composition-targeted agents, while guidance on treatment personalization and sequencing strategies remains limited. This review examines the evolving landscape of obesity pharmacotherapy beyond injectable GLP-1RAs. Oral GLP-1 agonists, including orforglipron, offer comparable efficacy to injectables while potentially improving global accessibility by eliminating cold-chain requirements and simplifying manufacturing. Multi-receptor agonists represent the most transformative developments: triple agonists such as retatrutide achieve weight reductions of 20-24%, while dual GLP-1/glucagon agonists like survodutide and mazdutide show strong efficacy with particular promise for metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease. Maridebart cafraglutide, combining GLP-1 agonism with glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) antagonism, enables once-monthly dosing. The amylin pathway has re-emerged through long-acting analogs (cagrilintide, eloralintide) and unimolecular co-agonists (amycretin), achieving weight reductions up to 24% via distinct neuroendocrine circuits. Body composition optimization through agents like bimagrumab addresses lean mass preservation during potent anorectic therapy. Personalized approaches, including setmelanotide for monogenic obesity, exemplify precision pharmacotherapy. Collectively, these advances signal a shift from appetite-centric weight loss toward integrated metabolic, neuroendocrine, and body-composition-focused disease modification. The next epoch of obesity pharmacotherapy will be defined by multi-receptor strategic combinations, targeted approaches to preserve lean mass, and personalized treatment algorithms. Critical priorities include phenotype-stratified trials, long-term safety surveillance, pediatric obesity research, and implementation science to ensure equitable global access. Balancing pharmacologic innovation with sustainable, equitable implementation remains the defining challenge ahead.
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