Before successful weight loss treatments such as Wegovy and Ozempic, the pharmaceutical path to treating obesity was strewn with failures dating back decades.

Dr. Rashika Bansal, assistant professor in the division of endocrinology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, tells Yahoo Life that the new weight-loss medications are "the start of a new era," adding that it's a "very exciting time" for weight-loss treatments.

Pfizer's new experimental weight-loss pill worked in achieving its stated goal — but with that weight loss came some pretty gnarly-sounding side effects. In a press release, the pharmaceutical giant said that it was discontinuing clinical trials for danuglipron,

Whisk 2 Tbs. cocoa powder, 2-3 tsp. natural zero-sugar sweetener (or to taste; try options like allulose or monk fruit) , 1 cup water, ¼ cup cream, dash almond extract over low heat until smooth and hot; garnish and enjoy. This guilt-free treat is easy and festive.

While 5% was once a dream, medicines now help people shed 20% or more body mass. Companies say quality, not magnitude, is their next frontier.

Between the lines: Pfizer said a clinical trial of danuglipron showed the formulation was effective at shedding pounds, reporting a 13% body weight reduction at 32 weeks, though those results are smaller than those seen in trials of similar rival drugs.