AbbVie Enters Obesity Drug Market with $2.2 Billion Licensing Deal

The pharmaceutical giant partners with Danish firm Gubra to develop an experimental amylin-based weight-loss treatment currently in Phase 1 trials.

AbbVie has licensed GUB014295, an experimental obesity drug from Danish biotech firm Gubra, for up to $2.2 billion in payments.
The deal includes a $350 million upfront payment and up to $1.875 billion in milestone payments tied to development, commercialization, and sales success.
GUB014295 is a long-acting amylin analog that targets appetite suppression and delayed gastric emptying, offering a potential alternative to GLP-1-based treatments.
AbbVie’s move signals its entry into the rapidly growing obesity drug market, which Goldman Sachs predicts could reach $130 billion by 2030.
Analysts speculate that AbbVie may develop the drug as a standalone treatment or combine it with GLP-1/GIP therapies for enhanced weight-loss efficacy.