Pfizer Acquires Metsera in $10B Deal to Bolster Obesity Drug Pipeline
Pfizer shares gained ground after securing shareholder approval for its $10 billion acquisition of Metsera, a biotech startup specializing in obesity treatments. The deal positions the pharmaceutical giant to compete in the $70 billion weight-loss drug market as pandemic-related revenue declines.
The acquisition battle saw Pfizer outbid Danish rival Novo Nordisk with an offer of $65.60 per share plus potential performance-based payouts. Metsera's late-stage monthly injection and oral weight-loss therapies fill critical gaps in Pfizer's pipeline after the company abandoned its own GLP-1 development program due to safety concerns.