Weight loss

BioMarin’s new business strategy leaves investors with questions; Lykos CEO steps down; Terns releases compelling data on oral weight loss candidate; and more.
Phase I data for TERN-601 suggests Terns’ oral GLP-1 candidate for obesity could be a contender in the market next to big names like Lilly, Pfizer and Roche.
Terns Pharmaceuticals will advance TERN-601 into Phase II after early-stage data showed the oral therapy led to weight loss of 4.9%, comparable with weight loss pills Lilly and Pfizer are developing, according to analysts.
A broad indication for MariTide could help Amgen secure Medicare coverage for the treatment following FDA approval, CEO Robert Bradway said at Wednesday’s Morgan Stanley Global Healthcare Conference.
Like its U.S. and European counterparts, Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency found no conclusive link between the use of GLP-1s and a heightened risk of suicidal and self-injury thoughts.
Under a multi-year agreement announced Wednesday, Eli Lilly will leverage Haya Therapeutics’ proprietary RNA-guided genome platform to identify drug targets to address the chronic conditions.
IPO
BioAge will use the proceeds from the initial public offering to move its oral apelin receptor agonist azelaprag past its Phase III STRIDES study and into a registrational Phase III trial.
Eli Lilly offers weight loss drug Zepbound directly to consumers while Novo Nordisk continues to struggle with supply challenges for its own GLP-1s. Meanwhile, gene therapies for retinal diseases target competitive market, and layoffs persist.
Novo Nordisk’s continuing supply problems for semaglutide come as the pharma tries to expand the drug’s indication, opening it up to more patients—and potentially to heavier production pressures.
Eli Lilly this week announced plans to sell single-dose vials of its weight loss drug Zepbound directly to consumers. Novo Nordisk could adopt a similar strategy for Wegovy as its CEO is set to testify Sept. 24 before the Senate health committee.
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