Pfizer's obesity strategy runs through the $4.9 billion Metsera acquisition completed in late 2025, which brought a deep pipeline of next-generation peptide candidates in obesity and cardiometabolic disease. The lead asset, berobenatide (MET-097i, also known as PF'3944), is an ultra-long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist that posted 14.1% mean placebo-subtracted weight loss in the Phase 2b VESPER-1 study and 15.9% weight loss with no plateau at 32 weeks in the VESPER-1 exploratory extension presented at ADA 2026 on June 6.
The Phase 3 program runs to 10+ trials. VESPER-4 (weekly dosing, obesity without T2D) initiated late 2025; VESPER-5 (weekly, obesity + T2D) launched March 2026; VESPER-6 (monthly maintenance) is planned. MET-233i is a monthly amylin analog in earlier-stage development, intended for combination with berobenatide. Pfizer also retained the rights to discontinued danuglipron (the small-molecule oral GLP-1 dropped in April 2025 after a drug-induced liver injury case) and is developing PF-08653944 in earlier development.
Leadership transitioned on June 18, 2026 when Pfizer announced CFO Dave Denton's departure on August 15 for a consumer-goods opportunity, with Cecile Guegan (SVP, Finance, Global Biopharmaceutical Business since 2022) named Interim CFO effective August 16 while an external search runs. Pfizer reaffirmed 2026 guidance the same day: revenues of $59.5-62.5B and adjusted diluted EPS of $2.80-3.00.
Outside obesity, Pfizer's peptide footprint includes ASCO 2026 oncology presentations across 40+ company-sponsored, investigator-sponsored, and collaborative abstracts — including peptide-drug conjugate programs. Stories here cover trial readouts, manufacturing decisions, leadership transitions, and the broader oncology footprint. See [[metsera]], [[vesper-1]], and [[asco-2026]].
Pfizer announced on June 18, 2026 (8-K filed) that Chief Financial Officer Dave Denton will step down from his role and leave the company on August 15 for a professional opportunity outside the pharmaceutical industry in consumer goods. Cecile Guegan, currently Senior Vice President, Finance, Global Biopharmaceutical Business (joined Pfizer in 2005, current role since 2022), was named Interim CFO effective August 16 while Pfizer conducts internal and external search. The same June 18 8-K reaffirmed 2026 guidance: revenues of $59.5-62.5B and adjusted diluted EPS of $2.80-3.00. Pfizer also presented detailed berobenatide (PF'3944) Phase 2b VESPER-1/-2/-3 data at the ADA Scientific Sessions June 6 supporting monthly dosing for the first-in-class GLP-1 RA peptide and confirmed plans for 10 Phase 3 studies in 2026 as part of a 20+ obesity-trial program. PFE stock dropped 3% on the CFO surprise.
Pfizer's ADA Phase 2b readout for berobenatide (15.9% weight loss at 32 weeks, no plateau, monthly dosing via a 0.5 mL low-volume injection) validates the $4.9 billion Metsera acquisition that closed earlier this year. The company now plans more than 20 obesity-related trials in 2026, including 10 Phase 3 studies. Monthly dosing positions berobenatide against once-weekly incumbents on the adherence axis, the same logic behind Amgen's MariTide and Ascletis's ASC30.
Pfizer presented Phase 2b VESPER-1 data for berobenatide (PF-07976094 / PF'3944), the ultra-long-acting injectable GLP-1 peptide engineered for monthly dosing through a 0.5 mL low-volume injection. At ADA 2026, the 2.4 mg weekly dose drove up to 15.9% mean weight loss at 32 weeks with no plateau across the VESPER program, plus improved glycemic control and favorable tolerability. Pfizer plans more than 20 obesity-related trials in 2026, including 10 Phase 3 studies of berobenatide in chronic weight management, knee osteoarthritis, and obstructive sleep apnea. The asset entered Pfizer's pipeline through the $4.9 billion Metsera acquisition.
BioPharma Dive's June 8 ADA wrap framed the meeting's competitive sort: Lilly reinforced its lead with retatrutide (28.3%) and Foundayo's head-to-head win over oral semaglutide; Pfizer's berobenatide emerged as 'foundational' with the monthly-dosing differentiation; Roche's enicepatide drew 'me-too' framing from RBC's Trung Huynh ('does little to differentiate enicepatide from its peers'). Novo Nordisk lost ground after CagriSema missed non-inferiority versus its target competitor on some endpoints. Lilly closed about 4.5% higher Monday on the data; Novo fell 3.46%.
Pfizer presented updated Phase 1 data for sigvotatug vedotin (PF-08046047), an integrin β6-directed antibody-drug conjugate that carries the microtubule inhibitor MMAE through a cleavable linker, combined with pembrolizumab in non-small cell lung cancer. The early efficacy supports the ongoing first-line SigVie-003 Phase 3 trial, while SigVie-002 tests the conjugate as monotherapy in previously treated advanced NSCLC. The readout extends ASCO's targeted-conjugate theme from peptide scaffolds to antibody carriers sharing the same MMAE payload.
A May 21 Research and Markets report projected the global GLP-1 receptor agonist weight loss drug market expanding from $15.5B in 2025 to $18.02B in 2026 — a 16.3% compound annual growth rate. The forecast tracks through 2030 and 2035 across major players Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and Pfizer, plus the growing oral GLP-1 segment (Wegovy pill, Foundayo, Structure Therapeutics' aleniglipron entering Phase 3). By 2020 roughly 4 million people were on GLP-1s; by 2026 that estimate has reached 30 million. The market data is the formal backdrop for the broader 2026 obesity-pharmacology conversation: GLP-1 alone is now larger than the 2024 oncology drug class's largest single product. The IQVIA peptide-CDMO capacity-build wave (Bachem, PolyPeptide, CordenPharma SPPS expansions through 2028) and the Lilly $4.5B Lebanon Indiana investment lean directly into the demand projection.
ASCO 2026 abstracts will release on asco.org/abstracts beginning 5:00 PM ET on Wednesday May 21, ahead of the May 29-June 2 Chicago meeting. The peptide-oncology slate is substantial: Pfizer announced 40+ company-sponsored, investigator-sponsored, and collaborative oncology abstracts including three late-breaking sessions; Bicycle Therapeutics has an oral and four poster presentations on zelenectide pevedotin (BT8009, nectin-4 PDC) with Duravelo-2 interim data; Avacta has Phase Ia/Ib data on AVA6000 (FAP-Dox PDC) in salivary gland cancers; BioVaxys's MVP-S survivin peptide vaccine PESCO trial data; BriaCell's six Bria-IMT/Bria-OTS+ presentations on metastatic breast cancer; and Replimune's RP1 + nivolumab 3-year melanoma OS data. Crinetics CRN09682 SSTR2 NDC BRAVESST2 update expected.
Pfizer reported April 29 Q1 2026 revenue of $14.45 billion (vs. $13.92B consensus) and adjusted diluted EPS of $0.75 (vs. $0.72), with non-COVID operational revenue up 7%. The company reaffirmed 2026 guidance of $59.5–62.5B in revenue and $2.80–3.00 in adjusted EPS. On the obesity portfolio, Pfizer confirmed 20+ planned and ongoing studies across the diverse obesity pipeline acquired with Metsera, including 10 Phase 3 trials of PF'3944 (MET-097i) — the recently initiated Phase 3 VESPER-4 once-weekly study, the planned VESPER-5 in T2D, the planned VESPER-6 once-monthly maintenance study, and at least seven more. MET-233i, a monthly amylin analog, is in Phase 1 monotherapy and combination-with-PF'3944 development.
Pfizer announced that data from more than 40 company-sponsored, investigator-sponsored, and collaborative research abstracts will appear at ASCO 2026 in Chicago (May 29–June 2). The slate spans Pfizer's diverse oncology pipeline including peptide-drug conjugate programs, bispecific T-cell engagers, and antibody-drug conjugates. Combined with previously announced ASCO 2026 acceptances from Bicycle Therapeutics, BriaCell, Greenwich LifeSciences, BioVaxys, and Immutep, the meeting is shaping up as the most peptide-and-immuno-conjugate-heavy ASCO in recent memory — building on the foundation laid at AACR 2026 in San Diego.