What VIVUS does

VIVUS is a specialty pharmaceutical company founded in 1991 that develops, manufactures, and commercializes prescription therapeutics for obesity, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Its commercial portfolio centers on QSYMIA (marketed as QSIVA in Europe) — an extended-release combination of phentermine and topiramate approved by the FDA in 2012 for chronic weight management in adults and, since 2020, pediatric patients aged 12–17 — and PANCREAZE/PANCREASE MT (porcine-derived pancrelipase delayed-release capsules) for EPI, the latter acquired from Janssen Pharmaceuticals in 2018. The development pipeline includes VI-0106 (tacrolimus/ascomycin for PAH), VI-0609 (bone marrow transplant preparation), VI-0809 (diabetes), and VI-0810.

The company monetizes its portfolio through direct field sales in the US and Europe and through regional commercial partners in Asia Pacific (Alvogen Korea, Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical) and MENA (Menapharm, PharmaAccess). Products are distributed via retail and hospital pharmacies, with QSYMIA subject to a US REMS program. Following its 2020 emergence from bankruptcy proceedings, VIVUS operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Icahn Enterprises L.P. (NASDAQ: IEP), with corporate headquarters in Campbell, California, and regional offices in Amsterdam, Zug, and British Columbia. VIVUS holds product authorizations in approximately 12 countries across the Americas, Europe, MENA, and Asia Pacific, and recent strategic emphasis has been on expanding European pricing accessibility, MENA market entry (UAE 2025), and pipeline advancement.

Name

VIVUS

Legal name

VIVUS LLC

Website

https://vivus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

VIVUS is a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes prescription therapeutics — primarily QSYMIA/QSIVA for chronic weight management and PANCREAZE for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency — sold through direct sales and regional partners in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, and MENA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Pharmaceuticals

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Cardiometabolic Pharmaceuticals (Cardiovascular/Diabetes/Obesity) (HLAIAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cardiology & Vascular Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAG), Gastroenterology & Hepatology Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAI)

Keywords

• Prescription pharmaceuticals
• Weight management drugs
• Pancreatic enzyme therapy
• Obesity pharmacotherapy
• Modified-release formulations

Headquarters

HQ city

Mountain View

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Product Sales: VIVUS generates revenue through the sale of prescription pharmaceutical products including QSYMIA/QSIVA for obesity, PANCREAZE for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and pipeline products. Revenue comes from pharmacy and healthcare provider channels across Americas, Europe, and international markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VIVUS develops, manufactures, and commercializes prescription pharmaceutical products across three core therapeutic areas: chronic weight management (QSYMIA in the US and QSIVA in Europe — phentermine/topiramate modified-release capsules), exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (PANCREAZE and PANCREASE MT — pancrelipase delayed-release capsules), and a development pipeline for pulmonary arterial hypertension (VI-0106 tacrolimus). The company sells these products globally through direct field sales in the Americas and Europe and through commercial partners in Asia Pacific and MENA.

Product overview

VIVUS is a focused pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and commercializes therapies for serious medical conditions and life-limiting diseases. The company's product portfolio centers on three core therapeutic areas: obesity management, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The primary commercial products include QSYMIA (phentermine and topiramate extended-release capsules), a weight management medication approved in the US, South Korea, and Middle East markets, marketed as QSIVA in European Nordic countries and Poland; PANCREAZE and PANCREASE MT (pancrelipase) for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency; and a development pipeline including VI-0106 for PAH. VIVUS operates through subsidiaries across the Americas (VIVUS LLC, VIVUS Pharmaceuticals Ltd. in Canada), Europe (VIVUS BV in Netherlands, VIVUS AG in Switzerland), and a network of commercial partners for Asia Pacific and Middle East markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• QSYMIA: Phentermine and topiramate extended-release capsules for chronic weight management in adults and pediatric patients (aged 12 and older) with obesity or overweight with weight-related comorbidities.
• QSIVA
• PANCREAZE
• PANCREASE MT
• VI-0106
• VI-0609
• VI-0809
• VI-0810

Products and services

• QSYMIA (phentermine and topiramate extended-release capsules) Prescription medication indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with BMI >=30 kg/m2 (obese) or >=27 kg/m2 (overweight) with at least one weight-related comorbidity (hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or dyslipidemia), and for pediatric patients aged 12+ with BMI in the 95th percentile or greater. Marketed under the QSYMIA brand in the US, South Korea, UAE, and Bahrain.
• QSIVA (phentermine and topiramate modified-release hard capsules) Prescription modified-release hard capsules of phentermine and topiramate indicated for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with weight-related conditions. Marketed under the QSIVA brand across European Nordic countries and Poland with pricing of 32.13 SEK per day in Swedish pharmacies following a 2026 price reduction.
• PANCREAZE (pancrelipase) delayed-release capsules Combination of porcine-derived lipases, proteases, and amylases in delayed-release capsule form indicated for the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) due to cystic fibrosis or other conditions. Marketed in the US and Canada for patients with EPI from cystic fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis, celiac disease, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, or HIV.
• PANCREASE MT (pancrelipase) capsules Pancreatic enzyme product (pancrelipase) indicated for the treatment of pancreatic insufficiency attributed to cystic fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis, or any other medically defined pancreatic disease requiring pancreatic enzyme therapy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clinically significant weight loss demonstrated in phase III clinical studies for QSIVA
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Alvogen Korea (Alvogen Korea Co., Ltd.)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnder agreement with VIVUS, Alvogen Korea is responsible for obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals and sales and marketing activities in South Korea. Alvogen promotes QSYMIA jointly with Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corporation (CKD).
• Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corporation (CKD)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCKD participates in joint promotion of QSYMIA with Alvogen Korea in South Korea market.
• MenapharmcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommercial partner in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region collaborating with VIVUS to provide access to QSYMIA medication.
• PharmaAccesscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommercial partner in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region collaborating with VIVUS to provide access to QSYMIA medication.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Rhythm Pharmaceuticals: Markets Imcivree (setmelanotide) for rare obesity disorders. While focused on rare genetic obesity indications, Rhythm competes for the same prescriber mindshare and reimbursement dollars in the broader obesity therapeutics category.
• BioMarin Pharmaceutical: Specialty pharma focused on rare diseases with comparable company size and developmental pipeline approach. BioMarin's experience developing novel therapies for rare conditions (including pulmonary hypertension historically) makes it relevant for understanding VIVUS's VI-0106 PAH opportunity.

Broad incumbents

• Eli Lilly: Markets Zepbound (tirzepatide) and Mounjaro for obesity and type 2 diabetes, directly competing with QSYMIA. Eli Lilly's GLP-1/GIP mechanism has demonstrated superior weight loss in head-to-head settings, intensifying pressure on VIVUS's franchise.
• AbbVie: Markets Creon (pancrelipase), the leading pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Directly comparable to VIVUS's PANCREAZE product in the same indication, prescriber base, and pharmacy channel.
• Novo Nordisk: Global leader in obesity therapeutics with Wegovy (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide). Both compete with QSYMIA/QSIVA in chronic weight management, though Novo Nordisk operates at vastly greater scale with a GLP-1 mechanism versus VIVUS's older phentermine/topiramate combination.
• Teva Pharmaceutical: Large specialty and generics pharmaceutical company with broader portfolio across multiple therapeutic areas. While not focused exclusively on obesity, Teva's commercial scale and specialty pharma approach parallel aspects of VIVUS's distribution and commercialization model.

Direct peers

• Endo International: Specialty pharmaceutical company with comparable scale and portfolio approach in endocrinology and men's health. Endo's commercial model and therapeutic focus (including weight loss adjacencies) make it a relevant comparable for VIVUS as a small-cap specialty pharma.
• United Therapeutics: Specialty pharmaceutical company with a leading position in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) through products like Tyvaso and Remodulin. Relevant comparable for VIVUS's VI-0106 PAH pipeline asset, sharing the same target indication and prescriber base.
• Nestlé Health Science: Markets Zenpep (pancrelipase), a direct competitor to VIVUS's PANCREAZE in the exocrine pancreatic insufficiency market. Both products serve the same cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis patient populations through similar specialty pharmacy channels.
• Currax Pharmaceuticals: Specialty pharmaceutical company that markets Contrave (naltrexone/bupropion ER) for chronic weight management, directly competing with QSYMIA/QSIVA in the non-GLP-1 obesity segment. Both companies target similar prescriber channels and patient populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VIVUSLLC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vivus-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/vivusllc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors9 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VIVUS