Nxera Pharma Launches Proprietary GPCR-Based Obesity Pipeline with Oral GLP-1 Agonist Program

Nxera Pharma has revealed a bold new pipeline aimed at addressing obesity and related metabolic disorders through next-generation therapies. The initiative, independent of its collaborations with Pfizer and Eli Lilly, includes several proprietary programs built around validated GPCR targets. Leading the pipeline is Nxera’s wholly owned oral small molecule GLP-1 agonist, designed using differentiated chemistry to ensure full control and independence from Pfizer’s now-discontinued PF06954522.

Chris Cargill, President and CEO of Nxera, said, “Nxera scientists were among the pioneers in elucidating the structure of the GLP-1 receptor and other key receptors being targeted, giving us a clear advantage in developing potentially best-in-class next-generation drug candidates. For the past 12 months, Nxera scientists have been advancing a broad metabolic disease pipeline to capitalize independently on our differentiated science. Today, we reveal the addition of these programs to our discovery portfolio, and are confident in achieving significant progress over the mid-term, delivering clear value for shareholders and patients in the rapidly expanding obesity market, projected to exceed US$100 billion annually in global sales.”

Alongside its GLP-1 program, Nxera is advancing six additional GPCR-targeted programs for obesity and long-term weight management. These include three small-molecule agonists (GIP, Apelin, Amylin), one GIP antagonist, and two long-acting therapies with undisclosed targets. The pipeline is powered by Nxera’s proprietary NxWave™ platform, which uses structure-based design and DNA-encoded library screening to produce highly selective, novel compounds.

Nxera’s goal is to deliver scalable, oral treatments with fewer side effects, targeting hard-to-treat populations and obesity-related co-morbidities. The company also remains committed to therapeutic areas such as neurology, gastroenterology, and immunology. Meanwhile, Pfizer has discontinued development of PF06954522 for strategic reasons unrelated to safety, and Nxera plans to explore further collaboration opportunities with Pfizer for other GLP-1 assets discovered jointly.