Top of the morning to you, and a fine one it is, despite the gray skies hovering over the Pharmalot campus again. Our spirits remain sunny, however, because we recall a bit of insight from the Morning Mayor, who taught us that “Every new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift.” To celebrate the notion, we are brewing still more cups of stimulation and inviting you to join us. Our choice today is pistachio creme. Remember, a prescription is not required. So no need to mess with rebates. Meanwhile, here are a few items of interest. Hope you have a meaningful and productive day and, of course, do stay in touch. …
Roche disclosed that its recently acquired experimental obesity medication helped people lose a significant amount of weight in a Phase 1 trial, STAT writes. The drug, a once-weekly injection known as CT-388, resulted in an average placebo-adjusted weight loss of 18.8% after 24 weeks. The reaction to such an early result — Roche shares were up roughly 4% early Thursday — is a signal both of the stakes of the obesity medication race and the keen interest investors have in the field. Roche, like many other large drug companies, has been moving to catch up in the obesity market, picking up CT-388 through its purchase, announced late last year, of Carmot Therapeutics for $2.7 billion.
Eli Lilly reported that its experimental weekly insulin worked as well as daily basal insulin products in two late-stage studies, paving the way for the drug to compete with a similar weekly insulin developed by Novo Nordisk, according to STAT. In a 52-week trial of type 2 diabetes patients using insulin for the first time, those on the weekly insulin, called efsitora alfa, had a 1.34% reduction in blood sugar levels, while people on the comparator daily insulin degludec, sold as Tresiba by Novo, had a 1.26% lowering. That resulted in patients having blood sugar levels, known as A1C readings, of 6.87% and 6.95%, respectively.
