Astrazeneca PLC Sponsored ADR(AZN.US) plans to take the "low price, high volume" route to enter the global weight loss drug market.

British pharmaceutical giant Astrazeneca PLC Sponsored ADR (AZN.US) is planning to enter the fiercely competitive and growing global weight-loss drug market with a core strategy of "improving existing drugs + more competitive pricing + emerging market experience." Astrazeneca PLC Sponsored ADR CEO Pascal Soriot said on Tuesday that the company is looking to develop the next generation of weight-loss drugs that are easier to use, and to promote them globally at lower prices and to a larger patient population. This approach to market expansion mirrors the successful path of their blockbuster diabetes drug Farxiga to some extent. Soriot noted that with lower prices and controlled production costs, the company has the ability to promote related products globally, not just in the United States market. In large pharmaceutical companies, the strategy of low prices and high volume is not common, but in the context of increasing competition in the US market and ongoing pressure from the Trump administration on drug prices, several companies, including the former weight-loss market leader Novo Nordisk A/S Sponsored ADR Class B (NVO. US), are also moving towards this model. Soriot had previously positioned Astrazeneca PLC Sponsored ADR as a major player in the oncology drug field, and is now pushing for the rapid market entry of multiple new generations of weight-loss drugs. Among them, an oral GLP-1 experimental weight-loss drug called elecoglipron has been successful in mid-stage clinical trials and is about to enter the final stage of testing. Soriot said that the results of the mid-term trial of the drug will be announced at an upcoming medical conference, and described it as having "very competitive product characteristics." Following the company's announcement of its fourth-quarter financial results, Soriot stated that the existing weight-loss drugs have significant effects but still have room for improvement, including improving patient compliance. He pointed out that the company is exploring a shift from weekly to monthly dosing regimens to lower the threshold for use, while focusing on developing drugs that help patients reduce fat rather than muscle loss. Currently, the global weight-loss drug market is mainly dominated by Novo Nordisk A/S Sponsored ADR Class B and its competitor Eli Lilly (LLY.US). The US market is being impacted by the low-cost "compound weight-loss drugs," which were originally allowed to be produced during drug shortages but are still spreading. Soriot believes that compound drug manufacturers lack long-term viability, but also warns that weight-loss drug prices will continue to face pressure in the foreseeable future. Astrazeneca PLC Sponsored ADR Biopharmaceutical Business President Ruud Dobber stated at a press conference that around 2 billion people worldwide are facing overweight or obesity issues, with a considerable portion of them not located in traditional developed markets. Drawing from the global experience of Farxiga, which generated about $8.5 billion in revenue last year mainly from emerging markets, Astrazeneca PLC Sponsored ADR hopes to replicate similar success in the weight-loss drug field. Dobber noted that the company's first step will still be to launch the related products in Europe, particularly in the United States. While the US remains Astrazeneca PLC Sponsored ADR's largest single market, its international business is growing rapidly, with revenue from emerging markets up 22%, significantly higher than the 10% growth in the US and 1% in Europe.