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Sourcing pharmaceutical ingredients for GLP-1 drug development
As GLP‑1 demand is putting pressure on ingredient sourcing and supply chains, Ingredients + Specialties by Univar Solutions helps manufacturers secure high‑quality ingredients and access expert technical and formulation support to enable reliable, long‑term success.
Meeting the growing GLP‑1 demand
As global demand for GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) therapies accelerate and expand into new markets, pharmaceutical developers face increasing pressure to secure a reliable supply of high-quality GLP-1 ingredients and keep pace with rapid growth.
This rising demand brings new pressures, especially when it comes to securing the ingredients needed to support ongoing development.
To stay competitive in this rapidly expanding market, you need access to pharmaceutical-grade GLP-1 ingredients that meet regulatory standards and support efficient development and scale‑up. Ingredient sourcing, formulation support, and supply chain resilience are no longer tactical details. They’re now critical to sustaining long term GLP-1 production.
That's where Ingredients + Specialties from Univar Solutions comes in. As one of the world’s leading distribution partners with a vast, global network, deep technical expertise, and flexible supply chain solutions, we’re uniquely positioned to support your GLP-1 development and manufacturing needs.
Explore our comprehensive GLP-1 ingredients and formulation solutions for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical success
With our global distribution strength, technical expertise, and customisable supply chain solutions, we are uniquely positioned to fuel success in the fast-evolving GLP-1 therapy market.
33M
People living with diabetes in Europe4
CAGR 2025–2030
16.1%
European GLP-1 weight loss drug market6
~2% of adults
9–10M
European & UK adults on GLP-1 therapies5
53%
European adults classified as overweight or obese7
Today’s biggest GLP-1 sourcing and formulation challenges
GLP-1 receptor agonists have quickly become one of the fastest-growing drugs in the pharmaceutical market, driven by their strong clinical outcomes and proven consumer impact. What began as a therapy solely for type 2 diabetes has expanded rapidly into obesity care and weight management.
Patients using GLP-1 therapies have demonstrated a 16–39% reduction in caloric intake across multiple clinical studies¹, a finding that continues to drive accelerating adoption across European healthcare systems; from NHS England’s coverage of Wegovy to expanding GP prescribing rights in France and growing reimbursement discussions in the Netherlands.
Market growth across Europe is expected to continue at a significant rate. The European weight loss drug segment alone is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 16.1% between 2025 and 2030², reflecting surging demand for GLP-1 therapies across diabetes and obesity indications and creating sustained upstream demand for APIs, excipients, and drug delivery components across the European pharmaceutical supply chain.
However, with growth comes new pressure, especially for manufacturers working to scale GLP-1 production efficiently and reliably. Challenges include:
- Strained supply of key ingredients – Demand is outpacing availability for select pharmaceutical‑grade APIs, excipients, solvents, and bioprocessing materials
- Increasing regulatory complexity – GLP-1 drugs must meet specific, extensive, and stringent regulation and compliance requirements and documentation
- Need for diversified sourcing – Rising pressure to secure alternate or domestic ingredient sources to reduce risk
- Global supply chain instability and strain – Transportation delays and regional disruptions can make key ingredients more difficult to access reliably
Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical developers now need a partner who can help secure essential ingredients for GLP-1 receptor agonist formulation, solve technical challenges, strengthen supply chain resilience, and support ongoing scale-up.
Key pharmaceutical and nutraceutical ingredients for GLP-1 medications and supplement development
The most innovative and top-performing pharmaceutical formulations start with quality ingredients you can trust. Our broad portfolio supports both pharmaceutical and nutraceutical development, giving you access to ingredients that align with your production, regulatory, and quality requirements.
Our GLP-1 ingredient portfolio includes:
- Select active pharmaceutical ingredients (API)
- Select active nutraceutical ingredients (ANI)
- Excipients
- Solvents
- Bioprocessing ingredients
We can help you secure alternative or domestically sourced ingredients along with USP-grade materials from GMP-certified manufacturers. Our goal day in and day out is to deliver solutions that meet your unique production standards and support your market needs.
Why partner with us for GLP‑1 pharmaceutical ingredients?
Ingredients + Specialties from Univar Solutions supports the development and manufacturing of next-generation GLP-1 therapeutics and supplements by providing high-quality ingredients, security of supply, and technical formulation support. Our solutions go beyond distribution to include alternative sourcing strategies, stability optimisation, and assistance with (re)formulation challenges related to diverse dosage formats.
With a broad ingredient portfolio and global distribution capabilities, we help you streamline development pipelines, enhance speed to market, and aid in the consistency and reliability you require to succeed in this fast-evolving GLP-1 market.
Need help securing reliable ingredients or solving a sourcing or formulation challenge?
FAQ
What types of GLP‑1 pharmaceutical ingredients do you supply?
We supply excipients, solvents, bioprocessing ingredients, raw materials, and select APIs that support GLP‑1 drug development and broader pharmaceutical and nutraceutical manufacturing
How do you help mitigate GLP‑1 supply chain risk?
Our global sourcing network, inventory strategies, and alternate sourcing options help reduce dependence on single-source suppliers and regional distribution limitations. Our deep technical knowledge and expertise centered around the ingredient space allows us to support our customers with raw material sourcing and evaluation to help match benchmarks and regulatory requirements, reducing risk and improving confidence in ingredient selection.
Can you support regulatory and quality requirements?
As a leading pharmaceutical ingredients distribution and solutions partner, Univar Solutions is built to help customers meet stringent global regulatory and quality expectations across the product life cycle. Our global Solutions Centers offer pharmaceutical formulation and technical lab services and are explicitly designed with a focus on quality, stability, and regulatory compliance, helping customers evaluate ingredients, develop formulations, and align with applicable regulatory standards at every stage of development.
Can you support both injectable and oral GLP‑1 formulations?
Our teams support pre‑formulation, formulation, specification development, and ingredient sourcing for a wide range of dosage forms, including oral solid and oral liquid doses, parenterals (injectables), topicals, and beyond.
Need help securing reliable ingredients or solving a sourcing or formulation challenge?
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References
1. PubMed (PMID: 39175746), July 2024
2. Grand View Research — European GLP-1 weight loss drugs market (January 2026)
3. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 10th Edition (2025)
4. ING Bank European GLP-1 food demand report (April 2026)
5. WHO Europe 2025
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