New Era in Obesity Drug Development
In this series, we discuss the evolving landscape of obesity drug development, exploring the science, patient experiences, and clinical trial innovations that are shaping a new era in care. Through candid conversations with advocates like Sarah Le Brocq and expert insights from host Claudia Filozof, the podcast examines obesity as a complex, chronic disease—challenging stigma, highlighting the importance of empathy in healthcare, and advocating for patient-centric approaches in clinical research.
Episode 1: Breaking the Stigma: Understanding Obesity as a Chronic Disease
In this episode, we hear from Sarah, a patient living with obesity, as she shares her lifelong journey—from early body image struggles and restrictive dieting to participating in a televised weight-loss transformation. Despite achieving peak fitness and completing an Olympic triathlon, Sarah’s weight returned, prompting her to explore the science behind obesity. Her discovery of metabolic adaptation and set-point theory reframed her understanding of the condition—not as a personal failure, but as a complex, chronic disease.
Sarah candidly discusses the lack of empathy and support she received from healthcare professionals, who often dismissed her condition as a lifestyle issue. She calls for a systemic shift in how obesity is perceived and treated—emphasizing the need for education, policy change, and compassionate care. Her story is a powerful reminder that living with obesity is not a choice—and it calls for a significant shift in how we understand, support, and treat this complex, chronic condition.
Participants:
- Host: Claudia Filozof, Vice President and Therapeutic Head Obesity, MASH, and Hepatology at Fortrea
- Sarah Le Brocq - Founder and Director, AllAboutObesity.org
Reference:
- The implications of defining obesity as a disease: a report from the Association for the Study of Obesity 2021 annual conference https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(23)00139-6/fulltext
Episode 2: The Heart of Participation: What Brings Patients to Trials
In this episode, we hear from Sarah, a patient living with obesity and a passionate advocate, as she shares her personal experience participating in clinical trials. Sarah reflects on the emotional and practical motivations that drive patients to join studies—from the hope of accessing new treatments to the desire to contribute to scientific progress. She emphasizes the importance of transparency, empathy, and wraparound support in trial design, and how these elements can empower patients to stay engaged.
Sarah also discusses the challenges that can lead to disengagement, such as logistical burdens, unmet expectations, and lack of recognition for non-scale victories. Her insights highlight the need for patient-centric approaches that prioritize quality of life, reduce stigma, and treat obesity as a chronic condition. This episode offers a compelling look into the patient perspective and calls for a reimagining of clinical trial engagement strategies to better serve individuals living with obesity.
Participants:
- Host: Claudia Filozof, Vice President and Therapeutic Head Obesity, MASH, and Hepatology at Fortrea
- Sarah Le Brocq - Founder & Director, All About Obesity (www.allaboutobesity.org )
Episode 3: Body Composition and Muscle Mass: What Matters More - Quantity, Quality, or Both?
Obesity is a serious, chronic disease with multiple health consequences. Effective treatment should go beyond simply reducing body weight. It must focus on decreasing fat mass, improving body composition including preserving muscle mass and enhancing muscle quality addressing associated metabolic comorbidities, and ultimately improving overall quality of life.
Today, scientific advances highlighted by Claudia Filozof and Arya Sharma are reshaping obesity treatment. In this episode, their discussion on body composition explores why both the quantity and quality of muscle mass matter in managing obesity as a chronic disease.
Participants:
- Host: Claudia Filozof, Vice President and Therapeutic Head Obesity, MASH, and Hepatology at Fortrea
- Dr. Arya Sharma, MD, DSc (hon), FRAHS – Emeritus Professor, Thought Leader in Obesity
Episode 4: Beyond the Scale: Redefining Long-Term Success in Obesity Treatment
New obesity therapies now deliver double-digit weight loss. The harder question is what happens next. In this episode, JB Flinders, Strategic Delivery and Growth at Fortrea, talks with Claudia Filozof, MD, PhD, Vice President and Therapeutic Area Head at Fortrea, about why maintaining weight loss over the long term remains one of the biggest challenges in obesity care.
Together, they explore what "high-quality weight loss" really means, why BMI and body weight alone no longer capture the full clinical picture, and what these shifts mean for clinical trial design and site-level execution. The conversation closes with a look at how future obesity trials may redefine success, moving beyond short-term weight loss toward lasting outcomes in body composition, physical function and long-term health.
Participants:
- Host: Claudia Filozof, Vice President and Therapeutic Head Obesity, MASH, and Hepatology at Fortrea
- JB Flinders, Strategic Delivery and Growth at Fortrea
Episode 5: The Next Generation of Obesity Therapies: What Comes After GLP-1s?
GLP-1 and incretin therapies have transformed obesity treatment, taking weight loss from single digits to results once possible only with bariatric surgery. In this episode, JB Flinders, Strategic Growth and Delivery at Fortrea, talks with Claudia Filozof, MD, PhD, Vice President and Therapeutic Area Head at Fortrea, about how these therapies reshaped the market and what comes next.
Claudia explains how dual and triple agonists are now achieving 20 to 25% weight loss and describes outcome data, including cardiovascular findings with a semaglutide study. Operational challenges are also discussed, including shrinking eligible patient populations, harder-to-recruit placebo arms and rising dropout rates as more patients access these drugs outside of clinical trials. This episode also explore emerging non-incretin targets, including hormonal pathways involved in appetite and satiety, and what a combination or precision medicine approach to obesity might look like. The conversation ends with a look ten years ahead, envisioning obesity accepted as a chronic, relapsing disease requiring long-term treatment, supported by digital tools, wearables and a more complete, multidisciplinary approach to care.
Participants:
- Host: Claudia Filozof, Vice President and Therapeutic Head Obesity, MASH, and Hepatology at Fortrea
- JB Flinders, Strategic Delivery and Growth at Fortrea