The head of pharmaceutical company Genentech says her team is working to develop obesity medications that patients can better tolerate and afford. Ashley Magargee noted that many patients currently stop taking their prescribed treatments due to various challenges.
NEW YORK, March 16 – The leader of Genentech, a division of pharmaceutical giant Roche, announced Monday that her company is working to develop obesity treatments that patients can both afford and tolerate without severe side effects.
Ashley Magargee, who serves as chief executive of the Genentech unit, addressed attendees at the Reuters Pharma USA 2026 conference in Philadelphia, highlighting concerns about patient retention in obesity treatment programs.
“A lot of patients are dropping off therapy for various reasons,” Magargee explained during her presentation, identifying two key areas her company plans to focus on: helping patients maintain weight loss over extended periods and developing combination treatments for individuals who don’t respond well to single medications.
Magargee emphasized the dual challenge facing the pharmaceutical industry in obesity treatment, asking: “How can you not just get these new medicines to patients, but also, how can you get an affordable portfolio of medicines to treat all the needs across the patient population now?”
The executive’s comments come as the healthcare industry continues to grapple with making effective obesity treatments accessible to a broader range of patients who need them.
Emergency Utility Work Closes Left Turn Lane on Route 72 in Newark
Emergency Utility Work Closes Left Turn Lane on Route 72 in Newark Area
Emergency Utility Work Closes Left Turn Lane on DE-72 at Old Baltimore Pike
NBA Board to Vote on Seattle, Vegas Expansion Plans Next Week