Why Pfizer Believes It Can Be a Leader in the GLP-1 Market, Even Though Its Drug May Not Debut Until 2028

There are advantages to being the first mover in a market, but that doesn't mean that a company can't enter later on and still succeed, and even be a dominant player. The GLP-1 market is a massive one that is growing fast and that Morgan Stanley projects will be worth $190 billion by 2035, which would be more than twice what it was worth in 2025.

Healthcare companies are eager to develop GLP-1 drugs to capitalize on such monstrous growth opportunities, and Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) is no exception. The company believes it may be able to enter the market with its own drug in 2028, and that it may still end up being a leader in the space. Here's why.

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Pfizer believes execution is its strength

Getting a new drug approved is a massive step for a drugmaker. But afterward, it often still needs to deliver it on a significant scale for it to truly generate significant revenue and be a game changer.

That's where Pfizer sees itself succeeding, with CEO Albert Bourla saying that "commercial execution is our strength." Indeed, over not only years but decades, Pfizer has been highly successful in rolling out many top products, which have enabled it to become one of the most recognizable and successful companies in the healthcare sector.

Importantly, Bourla notes, "We learned how to do e-commerce, and we learned how to fight compounding and counterfeit products." With the market being so lucrative and GLP-1 products proving to be costly for many customers, compounded and counterfeit products have been a big problem for the industry.

Pfizer's massive operations and expertise could work to its advantage, and the successful rollout of its COVID vaccine and pill is a great example of how well it can scale quickly.

The stock could make for an underrated GLP-1 investment

Pfizer has a promising GLP-1 drug, berobenatide, that it acquired through its acquisition of Metsera last year. By 2028, it plans to have a weekly version of the drug available, eventually to be followed by an injection that can be taken monthly.

It may ultimately come down to side effects and which GLP-1 treatment consumers feel more comfortable with. Even if berobenatide doesn't result in the highest weight loss, it may still end up being a preferred option if it proves to be more tolerable for some people.

Given just how massive the GLP-1 market is proving to be, there's likely going to be ample room for Pfizer to compete and carve out a sizable piece for itself. There's some risk here, as berobenatide hasn't obtained approval from regulators just yet, but Pfizer could make for an intriguing long-term buy given its attractive potential in GLP-1.

David Jagielski, CPA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Pfizer. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.