Patent applications relating to GLP-1 medicines rose by 28% in the year to 31 March 2026, according to new research from international law firm Pinsent Masons.
The firm identified 936 applications filed through the World Intellectual Property Organization, up from 726 the previous year and 380 five years earlier. The increase reflects interest in new formulations and in the potential use of GLP-1 medicines for conditions beyond type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Among the applications analysed, 194 related to liver disease, 170 to hypertension and 77 to sleep apnoea. Filings relating to kidney disease doubled from 62 to 124, while those concerning cancer rose from 72 to 121. These figures describe areas named in patent applications, rather than new medicines or proven treatments.
The research also identified 49 applications concerning oral formulations. Christopher Sharp of Pinsent Masons said the potential to treat a wider range of illnesses was encouraging companies to reformulate existing GLP-1 medicines. New delivery methods can also help companies protect the commercial value of their research.
What does this mean for pharmacy in Scotland?
Interest in GLP-1 medicines is already part of patient care. NHS Inform’s current guidance describes their use in diabetes and weight management, including an oral form of semaglutide for type 2 diabetes. The new patent filings should therefore be understood as further development, rather than the arrival of the first GLP-1 tablet.
For Scottish pharmacy professionals, the findings offer a view of where research may be heading. They do not change current prescribing or treatment pathways. A patent application is separate from the clinical evidence and regulatory approval needed before a medicine can be offered for a particular use.
The breadth of the filings is striking. Whether these proposed uses eventually reach patients will depend on research findings, safety, authorisation and decisions about access.
