Two leading glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists for obesity and type 2 diabetes – Novo Nordisk A/S’s semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic) and Eli Lilly and Co.’s tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) – are advancing in China after taking the U.S. market by storm. China represents the world’s largest population of diabetes and obesity patients. Its GLP-1 market, valued at about $1.7 billion in 2023 according to Clarivate, is expected to grow as the number of obesity patients is projected to exceed 500 million by 2033.
Boosting shares by nearly 17% on Sept. 9, phase I data of Terns Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, TERN-601, demonstrated it was well-tolerated and led to a statistically significant weight loss across all three doses tested in healthy adults who were obese or overweight.
The dark matter of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is shades brighter, after the signing of two major deals between biotech pioneers and big pharma in the past week. Haya Therapeutics SA announced Sept. 4 that it has sealed a multiyear agreement with Eli Lilly and Co. to apply its lncRNA platform technology to identify targets in obesity and related metabolic disorders.
The dark matter of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is shades brighter, after the signing of two major deals between biotech pioneers and big pharma in the past week. Haya Therapeutics SA announced Sept. 4 that it has sealed a multiyear agreement with Eli Lilly and Co. to apply its lncRNA platform technology to identify targets in obesity and related metabolic disorders.
A long-term look at obese and overweight patients with pre-diabetes found that weekly injections of Eli Lilly and Co.’s tirzepatide led to a 94% reduction in their risk of progression to type 2 diabetes compared to placebo – a result that Leerink Partners analyst David Risinger called “exceptional.”
In the wake of shortages for Novo Nordisk A/S’ Ozempic (semaglutide), Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration has announced that Wegovy, which has the same active ingredient, is now available in Australia and is advising prescribers to stop prescribing Ozempic off-label for weight loss.
In the wake of shortages for Novo Nordisk A/S’ Ozempic (semaglutide), Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration has announced that Wegovy, which has the same active ingredient, is now available in Australia and is advising prescribers to stop prescribing Ozempic off-label for weight loss.
GPCR drug discovery and development specialist Confo Therapeutics NV has closed a €60 million (US$65.2 million) series B round that will fund a significant expansion of the inhouse portfolio while it continues to turn the handle on its technology platform to generate more compounds for partnering.
Viking Therapeutics Inc. is diving more deeply into developing obesity treatments and investors like an accelerated timetable the company has proposed. On June 25, Viking shares (NASDAQ:VKTX) catapulted 28.3% upward to close at $64.68 each.
Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals’ long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA), GZR-18, achieved as much as 17.29% weight loss in a phase IIb trial in obese and overweight Chinese patients. Developed independently by Shanghai-based Gan & Lee, GZR-18 is a once-weekly or potentially biweekly GLP-1 RA being developed to treat adults with type 2 diabetes and for weight management for obese or overweight patients.
RSS
