GLP-1
The early-stage study showed that Viking Therapeutics’ oral obesity candidate VK2735, a dual agonist of the GLP-1 and GIP receptors, elicited a 3.3% reduction in mean body weight. The company plans to start a Phase II trial.
Just weeks after Wegovy won FDA approval for cardiovascular disease, Novo Nordisk has bought mid-stage biotech Cardior Pharmaceuticals and its miRNA-targeting candidate for heart failure.
Oprah Winfrey this week shone the spotlight on these transformative GLP-1 medications. Now, it’s time for Medicare to cover them and expand access to millions of Americans.
Following its label expansion earlier this month, Medicare on Thursday said it will now cover the use of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy in patients with overweight or obesity who have preexisting cardiovascular disease.
The recent FDA decision will likely mean more Medicare patients gain access to the blockbuster weight loss drug, experts say. Meanwhile, results continue to roll in for GLP-1 agonists for conditions beyond diabetes and obesity.
Novo Nordisk’s investment of more than half a billion dollars is meant to expand its production capabilities in China and help it meet the global drug demand.
With its FDA approval last week and first-to-market advantage, Madrigal Pharmaceuticals’ Rezdiffra will set the standard for other metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis candidates in development.
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals’ Rezdiffra (resmetirom) is the first-ever approved therapy for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis—a decision experts say could signal a sea change in treatment of the disease.
The biotech announced Wednesday that patients on ION224 had histologic improvement in the liver disease without worsening of fibrosis. Ionis’ mid-stage win comes as the FDA is set to decide whether to approve rival Madrigal’s resmetirom by Thursday.
Eli Lilly has partnered with Amazon Pharmacy to help fill online orders of its obesity drug Zepbound—as well as migraine and diabetes medicines—placed through the pharma’s online portal LillyDirect.
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