Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told Bloomberg's Katie Greifeld Pfizer is looking for 'superior results' while developing and testing further GLP-1 weight loss medications in a crowded market. Bourla also commented on his company's relationship with the Trump administration as businesses look for stability on pricing and tariffs. He told Bloomberg he is optimistic that uncertainty around White House policy is 'behind us.'
The drug company is looking to join its rivals in getting priority review vouchers, Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said, after several drugmakers received the express passes...
Questions asked in this interview
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0:07So when you add it all together, what is the next area for Pfizer?
1:10So how do you keep investors engaged and attract new investors during that period?
2:46What do you see as the key differentiating factor when it comes to what Mazzara is developing?
4:53Should we be focusing on the ABC portfolio or are there other areas of Pfizer where you plan to do that?
5:34What have your conversations with the White House indicated so far?
6:43... I mean you think about how long you've been at the helm of Pfizer when you compare and contrast just the frequency of communications that you're having with the Trump administration, how does that compare to past presidents at this point?
7:25... that you do spend so much time in Washington and again, given that you were the first drug maker to sign on to these drug pricing deals, what takeaways would you give to other CEOs who are currently in conversation with the White House?
So let's start broad here, because when the average person or uninitiated investor thinks of Pfizer, they probably think about your COVID vaccine. And now in 2026, the COVID period is largely behind us. You have numerous patent expirations coming up, and Pfizer is also entering into new markets altogether. So when you add it all together, what is the next area for Pfizer?
I think if we were preparing for this period of loss of exclusivity was 2638, we did significant acquisitions. One of them is obesity, as you said, but seeds it in oncology and nothing in migraine. And those this first one is performing extremely well. This year would be approximately $10 billion sales, growing double digit actually to less than 25 and 26. We continue growing at double digit. So I think after the 28 period least where we are going to be a top line growth story, we will have exponential growth, but we're building the industry.
So 28 it sounds like things improve, especially when you think about the growth forecast there. But until that time you think about, you know, what you recently said at the fireside chat earlier today, no plans for buybacks. You do have these patent expirations coming up and you don't expect to put a GAAP one on the market until 2028. So how do you keep investors engaged and attract new investors during that period?
I think investors most recent catalysts and this is a year of at least favorites in catalysts we are expecting $3 have stopped is that they are significant. Two of them actually will be innovation material. But for you are one of these there's ultra long 30 days. So those will come in the first half of this year. The other is the combination of the deal. We want to come this year, but there are many more in Rex Group, which is only myeloma. Myeloma, a drug. As a result of these successful doubles, the reputation of what we are going after the vaccine against the thief. Right. Thank you. Which is a very big disease. And there is no vaccines. Right. Right. That's the first one is Lyme disease. So there are very various items. And of course, we start a lot of phase three start. So investors, I think, are watching over. And right now families that has a very low multiple. I think we should start migrating towards the average multiple women exceeded the goal post our lives.
So plenty of catalysts coming up. Let's talk specifically about that, Sara, because you won that hard fought bidding war with Novo Nordisk. Certainly fun for someone who consumes news to watch. When you think about the obesity market, though, you know, you mentioned that this would be once monthly. What do you see as the key differentiating factor when it comes to what Mazzara is developing?
I think wanted this the monthly dose, and that's a very clear differentiation, but pretty significant from the this reform in patient experience, but also even know reduction and cost of goods and all of that. The second is a combination between army and you do what we are looking for superior results than the current solution. So those this combination not only will be a market, but hopefully you can deliver better weight loss, see more doctors and better tolerability, which are the two things but our the Achilles heel. So the GOP arms race and of course there is an oral advantage following. So it's a very complete, highly differentiated portfolio in the sense of a company that is very good in commercial activities, particularly when it comes to products, but they are very much consumer driven. I remind you why it is a product that was behaving very similar like the video, so like to watch.
Well, looking forward to those readouts as we get deeper into 2026. I do want to talk about M&A overall and what the strategy going forward is, because last year you earmarked up to $15 billion for deals to help replenish the pipeline. Where are you now? Do you feel pretty satisfied with the portfolio at hand? Are you still looking for more deals?
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Bourla, A. (2026, January 12). Pfizer CEO Bourla Says Company Looking For 'Superior' Results from Weight-Loss Drugs [Interview transcript]. Bloomberg Podcasts. CEOInterviews.AI. https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/634524/
MLA
Albert Bourla. "Pfizer CEO Bourla Says Company Looking For 'Superior' Results from Weight-Loss Drugs." Bloomberg Podcasts, 12 Jan. 2026. Transcript, CEOInterviews.AI, https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/634524/.
BibTeX
@misc{bourla2026_634524,
author = {Albert Bourla},
title = {Pfizer CEO Bourla Says Company Looking For 'Superior' Results from Weight-Loss Drugs},
howpublished = {Interview transcript, Bloomberg Podcasts. CEOInterviews.AI},
year = {2026},
month = {jan},
url = {https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/634524/},
note = {Speaker-attributed transcript with timestamps}
}