While the drugs certainly contribute to weight loss and health gains, they also cause a decline in muscle that some doctors find concerning. In trials of Wegovy, up to 40% of weight loss was from a decrease in lean or fat-free mass, rather than excess fat. In addition, quitting the drugs can mean adding back the pounds.

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Novo Nordisk has struck a collaboration and licensing deal with U.S. biotech Septerna to develop oral small molecule medicines for obesity, type 2 diabetes and other cardio-metabolic diseases that could be worth up to $2.2 billion for Septerna, they said on Wednesday.

While the primary target for these medication is weight loss, it’s not the only metric by which the drugs should be evaluated and prescribed. Glass points out that obesity is a complex condition, and people with obesity often have other health issues as well, related to the heart, kidney, and liver. “It’s not just about weight,” he says.

A new generation of GLP-1 drugs promising fast results continues to rock the weight loss industry, which has emphasized dieting and other slow behavioral changes for decades. If WeightWatchers can weather the storm remains to be seen, but complete transformation might be the only option if the 60-year-old company plans to make it in the Wegovy era.

Novo Nordisk has agreed a partnership worth up to $2.2bn with US biotech Septerna, as the Danish drugmaker tries to shore up its pipeline of potential next-generation obesity drugs. The pharmaceutical company behind weight-loss and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic will collaborate with California-based Septerna to develop pills for obesity,