Novel Anti-Obesity Pharmacotherapies
A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 March 2026 | Viewed by 79
Special Issue Editors
Interests: obesity; metabolic diseases; adipose tissue biology; brown/beige adipose tissue; batokines; molecular pathophysiology; nutraceutical/phytochemical therapies
Interests: diabetes; obesity; metabolic diseases; cardiometabolic diseases; oxidative stress; environmental toxins; hepatotoxicity; cardiotoxicity; skeletal muscle toxicity; nutraceutical/phytochemical
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Obesity, a chronic relapsing disease characterized by excess adiposity, contributes to the burden of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and reduced quality of life. The World Health Organization has projected that more than one-quarter (2.5 billion) of the world population between the ages of 18 and older are overweight, including over 890 million adults who are living with obesity. Despite decades of research, long-term weight management remains difficult. While lifestyle modification and bariatric surgery are important therapeutic strategies, their limitations in terms of accessibility, adherence, and long-term efficacy underscore the pressing need for effective pharmacological interventions.
Since existing pharmacotherapies often offer modest efficacy with limited durability or tolerability, a new era of anti-obesity pharmacotherapy is exploring long-term efficacy, safety, combination therapy, and cost-effectiveness. Novel agents such as incretin-based polyagonists, amylin analogs, melanocortin receptor modulators, fibroblast growth factor mimetics, and mitochondrial uncouplers target a broader range of metabolic and central regulatory pathways than ever before. These candidates promise not only enhanced weight loss but also potential benefits for glycemic control, lipid metabolism, and cardiometabolic risk. Moreover, the combination of different treatment modalities, such as lifestyle interventions and bariatric surgery with pharmacotherapies, may support individuals in achieving personalized long-term goals, maximizing health benefits, and improving quality of life.
This Special Issue brings together emerging research on the mechanistic underpinnings, preclinical development, clinical performance, and translational challenges of next-generation anti-obesity drugs. By highlighting both foundational and pipeline science, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of therapeutic potential, limitations, and future directions in pharmacologic obesity and obesity-induced disease management.
Dr. Khanyisani Ziqubu
Dr. Zibele Ndlovu
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- obesity
- anti-obesity pharmacotherapy
- weight management
- combination therapy
- incretin-based polyagonists
- amylin analogs
- melanocortin receptor modulators
- fibroblast growth factor mimetics
- mitochondrial uncoupler
- clinical efficacy
- obesity-induced diseases
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