By Mariam Sunny and Michael Erman (Reuters) -Pfizer said on Monday it would acquire drug developer Metsera in a deal valued at up to $7.3 billion, including future payments, as it seeks to gain a foothold in the fast-growing obesity treatment market. The global obesity drug market, projected to reach $150 billion by early 2030s, […]
Health
Pfizer doubles down on weight-loss treatments with up to $7.3 billion Metsera buyout
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By Mariam Sunny and Michael Erman
(Reuters) -Pfizer said on Monday it would acquire drug developer Metsera in a deal valued at up to $7.3 billion, including future payments, as it seeks to gain a foothold in the fast-growing obesity treatment market.
The global obesity drug market, projected to reach $150 billion by early 2030s, is fueled by the rapid adoption of GLP-1 therapies from companies such as Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Drugmakers are now racing to develop next-generation treatments, including hormones that can help patients lose fat while preserving muscle.
Metsera brings its portfolio of experimental obesity drugs, with MET-097i, a GLP-1 injectable, and MET-233i, which mimics the pancreatic hormone amylin, being the key among them. MET-233i is being evaluated as a monthly monotherapy and in combination with MET-097i in early-stage trials.
Pfizer said early-stage data for MET-233i has shown a “potential best-in-class profile”.
According to analysts, the easier dosing schedules could give Pfizer an edge in the market. Leerink Partners analyst David Risinger has projected more than $5 billion in combined peak sales for Metsera’s pipeline.
Pfizer executives said they were confident that the monthly dosing schedule of Metsera’s drug would work because it remains in patients long enough that the side-effect profile does not seem to worsen between doses.
“A well tolerated monthly dosing could have huge advantages, not just for maintenance but also for convenience and for compliance,” said Pfizer Chief Scientific Officer Chris Boshoff.
The deal follows Pfizer’s setbacks in its own development efforts with weight-loss pill danuglipron.
The company had scrapped the development of a once-a-day version of danuglipron in April after a trial patient experienced potential drug-induced liver injury, which resolved after the medication was stopped. It had discontinued the development of a twice-daily version in late 2023 due to various side-effects.
Pfizer will pay $47.50 per share in cash to Metsera, representing a premium of about 43% to the New York-based company’s last close.
Metsera is also eligible to receive an additional $22.50 per share contingent on the achievement of certain performance milestones. Its shares surged more than 60% to $53.8, while Pfizer was up about 2%.
The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025.
(Reporting by Mrinmay Dey and Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Michael Erman in New York; Writing by Mrinalika Roy; Editing by Janane Venkatraman, Mrigank Dhaniwala and Shilpi Majumdar)