ACT Brief Episode 8: Expert Insights on the Future of Obesity Drug Trials

This is the Applied Clinical Trials Brief—your fast track to the latest insights in clinical research operations. In under three minutes, we’ll recap top stories, highlight expert interviews, and keep you current on what’s moving the industry. Let’s get into it.

On this episode, we’re spotlighting highlights from a recent conversation with Shipra Patel, global therapeutic area section head for endocrinology and global head of pediatrics at Parexel, who shared her perspective on the evolving obesity drug pipeline.

Patel explained that in such a competitive field, top research partners stand out by combining deep market insight with specialized expertise. She emphasized the need for leadership teams that understand not only GLP-1s in obesity and diabetes, but also their expanding role in conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and addiction. Dedicated task forces, she noted, help sponsors stay competitive.

She also described how Parexel structures its teams to support multi-indication trials. Dedicated franchises in areas such as endocrinology, cardiology, and psychiatry foster cross-functional collaboration, while study design and biostatistics experts ensure efficient and insightful protocols.

On the safety side, Patel pointed to real-world evidence showing that many patients discontinue GLP-1s early due to cost or tolerability issues. She stressed that even submaximal doses can deliver meaningful benefits, and that these insights should shape trial design—especially around adherence, dosing flexibility, and side effect management.

She shared an example of how real-world data has been used to identify patients already on GLP-1s who could transition to other therapies. While referred patients can present data challenges, this approach broadens access to non-traditional obesity populations.

Looking ahead, Patel highlighted patient retention as the defining challenge for obesity research by 2050. Long-term adherence is critical for understanding safety and sustainability, yet many patients leave trials early. She called for stronger global retention strategies and new tools—including AI-powered compliance monitoring—to keep patients engaged and ensure reliable data.

For more on this and other developments in clinical research, visit us at appliedclinicaltrialsonline.com. Thanks for listening to the Applied Clinical Trials Brief.