International experts to tackle obesity, diabetes crisis

Zuellig Pharma, a leading healthcare solutions company in Asia, on Wednesday announced that three internationally recognized authorities in endocrinology and diabetes — Prof. Luc Van Gaal, Prof. David Cummings, and Prof. Roger Chen — will headline a major scientific event in the Philippines addressing the dual burden of obesity and diabetes.

The event, Twice as Bold: Breakthrough in Obesity and Leading-Edge in Diabetes, is dedicated to exploring the latest advances in obesity and diabetes management. It will take place on January 26 at 5:00 p.m. at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

Obesity and diabetes now represent an intertwined cardiometabolic crisis in the Philippines, where millions of adults struggle with excess weight and metabolic dysfunction.

The rising prevalence of these conditions has resulted in thousands of largely preventable deaths while significantly increasing the burden on the national healthcare system.

Because these health issues are closely linked, delays in treatment can trigger comorbidities such as cardiovascular events, kidney failure, and other serious complications that severely diminish quality of life and economic productivity.

The dual burden highlights the urgency for early, aggressive, and long-term strategies that combine lifestyle intervention with modern pharmacologic options, including newer dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonists, which can deliver meaningful weight loss and cardiometabolic risk reduction when used as part of comprehensive chronic disease management.

Meet the global experts

At the event, global experts Prof. Luc Van Gaal, Prof. David Cummings, and Prof. Roger Chen will share new insights and the latest research on innovative treatment options for obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

Their participation underscores the global importance of this new class of medication, which utilizes two key gut hormones — GIP and GLP-1 — to regulate blood sugar and appetite.

Prof. Luc Van Gaal, a distinguished figure in diabetology, obesity, and metabolic disorders at the University of Antwerp and Hospital Belgium, will discuss real-world clinical applications of these new therapies. He has been a leading voice in evaluating the efficacy of the dual GIP and GLP-1 agonist class, particularly results from the SURMOUNT clinical program, which demonstrated unprecedented weight loss efficacy in patients with obesity.

Prof. David Cummings, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington and director of the weight management clinic at the VA Puget Sound, will provide the scientific context on how dual-action drugs regulate energy balance and blood sugar control, establishing the mechanisms behind their effectiveness in managing both diabetes and obesity. His research on metabolic hormones and gut-brain signaling has been foundational to the development of incretin-based therapies.

Prof. Roger Chen, a highly experienced endocrinologist and academic based in Sydney, will share his expertise in diabetes, metabolic disorders, and general endocrinology. He is a senior staff specialist in endocrinology at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, and a visiting scientist at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, with academic appointments at both the University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney.

The program will also feature prominent local faculty, including Dr. Bien Matawaran, past president of the Philippine Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism; Dr. Dante Morales, former president of the Philippine Heart Association; Dr. Nemencio Nicodemus Jr., president of the Philippine College of Physicians; and Dr. Maria Adelaida Iboleon-Dy, head of the Heart Institute of St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Together, these experts bring a rare combination of global clinical experience and cutting-edge research, bridging the science behind dual GIP and GLP-1 therapy with practical guidance for long-term cardiometabolic care.

Their perspectives are expected to help shape the future of obesity and Type 2 diabetes management in the Philippines and guide healthcare professionals in translating emerging evidence into improved patient outcomes.