Health tech company AbbVie (ABBV) said on Wednesday it plans to build a larger presence in the fast-growing obesity drug market, focusing on treatments designed to be easier for patients to stay on long term.

The company is leaning on a weight-loss drug it licensed last year from Danish biotech Gubra. The experimental drug, called GUBamy, is designed to mimic the hormone amylin.

Amylin is a hormone naturally released by the pancreas. It helps control appetite by slowing how quickly food leaves the stomach and by signaling fullness to the brain. Drugs based on amylin aim to reduce hunger and food intake.

GUBamy could be used as an alternative to widely used GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, including Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound. Those medicines work by mimicking gut hormones that increase insulin release, slow digestion and make people feel full sooner.

AbbVie is targeting patients who struggle to remain on current treatments. Chief Medical Officer Roopal Thakkar said many people stop first-generation obesity drugs because of side effects or difficulty maintaining results.

She said the company is focused on improving tolerability and the durability of weight loss. Thakkar added that AbbVie sees promise in longer-acting amylin drugs and is interested in expanding that approach further.

Early data suggests amylin-based drugs may help preserve more muscle compared with GLP-1-based treatments. Muscle loss is a concern for patients using weight-loss medications over extended periods.

AbbVie Chief Commercial Officer Jeffrey Stewart said the company’s existing aesthetics business could offer a strategic advantage. He said many patients seeking cosmetic treatments are also interested in weight loss.

Stewart said AbbVie understands how aesthetic providers may integrate weight-loss care into their offerings for the same group of clients. He added that this familiarity helps the company engage with customers in that space.

The obesity drug market is expanding rapidly as demand for effective treatments grows worldwide. Drugmakers and biotech firms are racing to secure a share of the market. Industry estimates project the weight-loss drug sector could generate around $150 billion in annual sales within the next decade, and AbbVie believes its AbbVie obesity drug ambitions position the company to compete as the market continues to develop.