Celltrion is moving into the obesity treatment market. The company plans to develop new drugs with differentiated competitiveness and establish its position in the market.

Celltrion announced on the 24th that it will pursue the development of obesity treatments through a two-track strategy: simultaneously developing a “quadruple-action injectable (development code CT-G32)” that maximizes efficacy and a “multi-action oral formulation” that enhances dosing convenience.

According to Celltrion, CT-G32 is being developed as a “first-in-class” new drug that simultaneously targets four pathways, going beyond the current market’s mainstream glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based dual and triple agonists.

The concept is to enhance appetite suppression and weight loss effects by improving the drawbacks of existing treatments, such as efficacy variations among individuals and muscle loss side effects, while adding a new target. At the same time, the company plans to expand development into a metabolic disease treatment that also encompasses promotion of lipolysis and regulation of energy metabolism. CT-G32 is currently undergoing efficacy evaluation in disease-model animals for key candidate substances. Celltrion explained that it plans to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application in the first half of next year and begin full-scale clinical trials.

The multi-action oral formulation is being developed as a treatment that significantly expands patient access by improving dosing convenience compared with injectable products. Ease of storage and distribution is also cited as a strength. Existing oral treatments were classified as psychotropic drugs with restricted access or had relatively modest weight loss effects, but Celltrion plans to overcome these shortcomings by designing the drug based on a GLP-1 receptor agonist. By developing it as a multi-action oral formulation, the company aims to enhance therapeutic efficacy while minimizing side effects, thereby securing differentiated competitiveness. Through this, Celltrion’s goal is to develop an oral obesity treatment as a “best-in-class” new drug.

Celltrion stated that it is currently conducting research to improve stability and bioavailability in terms of formulation and molecular design. The company is planning to submit an IND in the second half of 2028.

Celltrion expects that, once development is completed, it will emerge as a “game changer” in the high-growth-potential obesity treatment market. The injectable is being developed for patient groups requiring substantial initial weight loss or those who have not achieved sufficient response with existing therapies, while the oral formulation is being developed for patients who find injectable therapies burdensome or who require long-term maintenance therapy after weight loss. By targeting each treatment stage, the company aims to maximize synergies between products.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the proportion of overweight adults worldwide has risen sharply, from about 25% in the 1990s to over 40% recently. The uptrend is steep. As a result, obesity-related complications and rising medical costs are emerging as social issues. Market research firm GlobalData estimates that the global obesity treatment market will reach approximately KRW 243 trillion by 2031.

A Celltrion official said, “Building on the market dominance we have secured in autoimmune disease and oncology, we have recently expanded into areas such as ophthalmic and bone diseases, and we plan to demonstrate differentiated competitiveness in the obesity treatment market, which has high growth potential,” adding, “By actively pioneering new areas, we will do our utmost to maximize corporate value and grow into a global big pharma company.”

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