Metabolic disorders
JPM25 is in full swing as several pharma powerhouses—including Merck, Lilly and Amgen—detail their strategies for growth in the coming year.
The updated guidance, which was largely driven by lower-than-anticipated sales of GLP-1 blockbusters Mounjaro and Zepbound, sent Eli Lilly’s shares cratering by as much as 8% Tuesday, even as the company forecasted robust 2025 revenue.
Biopharma executives were busy Monday, striking high-value deals and providing updates on cancer, obesity and vaccine pipelines.
Obesity continues to grab attention at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, with both Pfizer and Kailera Therapeutics outlining their plans in the space moving forward.
Metsera will use its IPO proceeds to fund the Phase III development of its injectable, ultra-long-acting GLP-1 therapy MET-097i, which last week achieved 11.3% weight loss in a Phase IIa study.
The company’s lead asset is a potentially first-in-class oral GLP-1 receptor agonist that has the potential to be dosed weekly, which according to CEO Khurem Farooq can help improve accessibility and affordability.
According to BMO Capital Markets, Medicare coverage of Lilly’s Zepbound opens the door to using secondary indications to secure CMS coverage for obesity drugs.
Backed by ARCH Venture Partners, F-Prime Capital and Mubadala Capital, the new company will develop a pipeline of brain-penetrant small molecules to address inflammation, metabolic dysfunction and restoring lysosomal function.
The FDA recommended maintaining a minimum of 5% weight-loss for drug developers seeking to establish the efficacy of their investigational obesity candidates.
The investment continues a Novo dealmaking spree to cement its leadership status in the cardiometabolic space, with partnerships with Photys Therapeutics, Ascendis Pharma and two Flagship-backed start-ups.
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