Bill Gates and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are reportedly developing plans to expand access to popular weight-loss drugs such as Novo Nordisk A/S’ (NYSE:NVO) Wegovy and Eli Lilly and Co.’s (NYSE:LLY) Mounjaro in low- and middle-income countries.

The initiative aims to reduce the global inequality in obesity treatment, which remains a major health and economic burden worldwide.

In separate interviews with Reuters, Gates and PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa said their organizations are exploring strategies to make the costly but highly effective obesity drugs more affordable and available to poorer nations.

Gates said the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation aims to replicate its model for HIV prevention drugs, where it partners with manufacturers to produce affordable versions for developing nations.

Also Read: Wegovy And Zepbound Cost Effective But They Could Break Drug Budgets

The foundation is already collaborating with Indian drugmaker Hetero to develop low-cost copies of a new HIV prevention medicine priced at about $40 annually for lower-income markets.

Starting next year, the patent for semaglutide--the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's Wegovy--will expire in countries including China and India, opening the door for generic manufacturers to produce cheaper alternatives.

Gates added that the foundation might support clinical trials to study how obesity treatments affect different populations and provide data that could help regulators broaden access globally.

Venturing into obesity care would mark a new direction for the Gates Foundation, which has historically concentrated on infectious diseases like malaria.

However, rising obesity rates and their impact on chronic illnesses have created a new urgency for global intervention.

The World Health Organization (WHO) projects that the economic cost of obesity and overweight conditions could reach $3 trillion by 2030 if unaddressed.

PAHO, the WHO's regional arm for the Americas, operates a pooled procurement fund that negotiates lower prices by placing large orders on behalf of its 35 member nations. Barbosa said the same mechanism could be used for obesity drugs, streamlining regulatory approvals.

"We are starting the conversation," Barbosa told Reuters, noting that PAHO is preparing recommendations on safe use and will soon engage with Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and potential generic producers.

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