New Era in Obesity Drug Development

Episode 3: Body Composition and Muscle Mass: What Matters More - Quantity, Quality, or Both?

Obesity is a serious, chronic disease with multiple health consequences. Effective treatment should go beyond simply reducing body weight. It must focus on decreasing fat mass, improving body composition including preserving muscle mass and enhancing muscle quality addressing associated metabolic comorbidities, and ultimately improving overall quality of life. Today, scientific advances highlighted by Claudia Filozof and Arya Sharma are reshaping obesity treatment. In this episode, their discussion on body composition explores why both the quantity and quality of muscle mass matter in managing obesity as a chronic disease. Participants: Host: Claudia Filozof, Vice President and Therapeutic Head Obesity, MASH, and Hepatology at Fortrea Dr. Arya Sharma, MD, DSc (hon), FRAHS – Emeritus Professor, Thought Leader in Obesity

Episode 2: The Heart of Participation: What Brings Patients to Trials

In this episode, we hear from Sarah, a patient living with obesity and a passionate advocate, as she shares her personal experience participating in clinical trials. Sarah reflects on the emotional and practical motivations that drive patients to join studies—from the hope of accessing new treatments to the desire to contribute to scientific progress. She emphasizes the importance of transparency, empathy, and wraparound support in trial design, and how these elements can empower patients to stay engaged. Sarah also discusses the challenges that can lead to disengagement, such as logistical burdens, unmet expectations, and lack of recognition for non-scale victories. Her insights highlight the need for patient-centric approaches that prioritize quality of life, reduce stigma, and treat obesity as a chronic condition. This episode offers a compelling look into the patient perspective and calls for a reimagining of clinical trial engagement strategies to better serve individuals living with obesity. Participants: Host: Claudia Filozof, Vice President and Therapeutic Head Obesity, MASH, and Hepatology at Fortrea Sarah Le Brocq - Founder & Director, All About Obesity (www.allaboutobesity.org )

Episode 1: Breaking the Stigma: Understanding Obesity as a Chronic Disease

In this episode, we hear from Sarah, a patient living with obesity, as she shares her lifelong journey—from early body image struggles and restrictive dieting to participating in a televised weight-loss transformation. Despite achieving peak fitness and completing an Olympic triathlon, Sarah’s weight returned, prompting her to explore the science behind obesity. Her discovery of metabolic adaptation and set-point theory reframed her understanding of the condition—not as a personal failure, but as a complex, chronic disease. Sarah candidly discusses the lack of empathy and support she received from healthcare professionals, who often dismissed her condition as a lifestyle issue. She calls for a systemic shift in how obesity is perceived and treated—emphasizing the need for education, policy change, and compassionate care. Her story is a powerful reminder that living with obesity is not a choice—and it calls for a significant shift in how we understand, support, and treat this complex, chronic condition. Participants: Host: Claudia Filozof, Vice President and Therapeutic Head Obesity, MASH, and Hepatology at Fortrea Sarah Le Brocq - Founder and Director, AllAboutObesity.org