Eli Lilly is betting big on its experimental oral weight-loss drug even before reporting data from its late-stage trial by recording nearly $550 million in "pre-launch inventory" in its financial statements,

Eli Lilly Chief Scientific Officer Dan Skovronsky spoke to CNBC about obesity pills and more on the future of weight loss.

Popular weight-loss therapies like Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound result in both fat and muscle loss.

About a dozen drugmakers are developing new weight-loss treatments aimed at preserving muscle, and industry analysts, clinical trial experts and doctors say they may also need to demonstrate additional health benefits beyond the numbers on a scale to get approved.

One participant lost 22% of her weight in nine months — substantially faster than the rate seen with approved GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound. Her weight dropped so much that researchers reduced her dose of the treatment, called retatrutide. Still, she continued to feel too nauseous, so she decided by herself to start skipping every other dose.

Research shows bimagrumab may prevent muscle and bone loss associated with weight loss medications like Wegovy, offering hope for safer treatment options.

Now, one type of weight-loss medication is proving helpful with another health issue. In a study published Feb. 12 in JAMA Psychiatry, researchers report that semaglutide, better known as Ozempic or Wegovy, helped people with alcohol addiction reduce their craving and drink less.

A telehealth company partnered with a pharmacy that lacked a required license, raising doubts about the safety and efficacy of the weight-loss medicines it mailed to patients.

A groundbreaking study shows how Zepbound, a popular weight loss medication, could become a key treatment for heart failure patients while reducing death rates.