Gerresheimer predicts weight-loss drug deals to account for 4% of yearly growth

Dietmar Siemssen, CEO of German primary packaging manufacturer Gerresheimer, states that approximately 4% of the company’s revenue growth each year to come from deals with drugmakers of weight loss and diabetes products, particularly GLP-1 class drugs. 

Siemssen states that he expects GLP-1 medicine-related sales to exceed EUR100 million in 2024 alone. This number is expected to reach EUR350 million in the next 3 years based on current actual contracts and orders. Siemssen states, “We are just at the beginning of the ramp-up towards the total market for these drugs, and the biggest growth will be from 2025 to 2027.” 

As the weight-loss drug market continues to explode – estimates place it at reaching US$100 billion a year by 2030 – both drugmakers and pharma contract organisations are racing to secure their piece of the pie. Earlier in March, Novo Nordisk’s biggest shareholder, Novo Holdings, announced their acquisition of CDMO Catalent. While such acquisitions of contract manufacturers do not necessarily spell out a trend for the pharma industry, many deals and contracts between drug sponsors and vendors are expected to increase growth for those striking partnerships with obesity drugmakers. Gerresheimer is already manufacturing injection pens for both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, the leading pharma companies in the obesity drug market. A dual-chamber syringe manufactured by Gerresheimer will be used by Novo for the obesity drug cagrisema from April 2024. 

Additionally, Gerresheimer has been manufacturing products for GLP-1 drugs in Germany and Mexico, and injectable pens for other drug products in the Czech Republic, South America, and the US. Siemssen comments, “The Mexican plant will not only host GLP-1 products, but will be our key facility for the North American markets.” The German manufacturer has also released plans for a manufacturing facility in the US to begin producing products and services for GLP-1 drugs in autumn of 2025. Last year, the company recorded US$2.15 billion in sales, with revenue growth of 5–10% in 2024 and 10–15% in 2025. 

Sources:  

1. Weight-loss drug deals to drive around 4% of Gerresheimer yearly growth, CEO says [Accessed April 2, 2024] https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/weight-loss-drug-deals-drive-around-4-gerresheimer-yearly-growth-ceo-says-2024-03-29/  

2. Wegovy® – the weight-loss drug sparking a global race to end obesity [Accessed April 2, 2024] https://www.cphi-online.com/wegovy-the-weight-loss-drug-sparking-a-global-news123796.html