Top of the morning to you, and a fine one it is, despite the gray skies hovering over the Pharmalot campus again. We are doing our best to maintain sunny spirits, though, 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 blueberry cobbler. 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. …
Eli Lilly’s blockbuster diabetes and obesity drug improved liver scarring in a mid-stage study of the liver disease MASH, adding to positive data announced earlier this year, STAT tells us. The study tested three doses of tirzepatide, sold commercially as Mounjaro or Zepbound. The percentage of patients who experienced a greater than one-stage improvement in scarring, or fibrosis, without worsening of their disease was 54.9%, 51.3%, and 51.0% from the lowest to highest doses. When compared with the 29.7% of patients on placebo who achieved this outcome, the results were statistically significant.
Novo Nordisk is facing the prospect of intensifying competition in the promising Chinese market where drugmakers are developing at least 15 generic versions of its diabetes drug Ozempic and weight loss treatment Wegovy, Reuters reports, citing clinical trial records. The drugmaker hopes that demand for its drugs will surge in China, which is estimated to have the world’s highest number of people who are overweight or obese. Ozempic won approval in China in 2021 and Novo Nordisk saw sales of the drug in that region double to $698 million last year. It expects Wegovy to be approved this year. But the patent on semaglutide, the active ingredient in both drugs, expires in China in 2026.
