Alimentary/Metabolic

Novo Gets Its Own ‘Triple G’ Obesity Drug To Rival Lilly

 

The obesity market leader is teaming up with China’s United Bio-Technology to develop a product they believe could beat Lilly’s late-stage same-class candidate retatrutide.

Major Cash Injection Advances Augustine’s HDAC6 Hopes

 
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The Belgian firm banks nearly €77.7m to push its Charcot-Marie-Tooth to proof-of-concept.

Altimmune Outlines Pemvidutide Plans In MASH And Beyond

 
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The company sees potential for the GLP-1/glucagon receptor dual agonist in MASH as well as alcohol-related liver disease as hopes to move pemvidutide into Phase III in obesity with a partner.

Unpartnered Obesity Assets Are Becoming Slim Pickings For Pharma

 

Evaluate Pharma’s top 10 list of unpartnered mid-stage obesity assets shows that few credible challengers to Novo’s Wegovy and Lilly’s Zepbound remain available.


Zealand Turnaround Complete In Three Years

 
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CEO Adam Steensberg has led a major change in fortunes for the Danish biotech since March 2022.

Roche Means Business With Biggest Ever Obesity Pact

 
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The Swiss giant has inked a deal potentially worth $5.30bn with Zealand to access the Danish biotech's long-acting amylin analog petrelintide.

Novo Nordisk’s CagriSema Disappoints Again

 

The REDEFINE 2 study saw CagriSema fail to outshine Lilly’s tirzepatide in weight loss for overweight patients with diabetes, leaving its rival still in the driving seat.

What’s Hot And What’s Not For Sofinnova

 
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Chairman Antoine Papiernik spoke to Scrip about the therapeutic areas that where the VC major is looking at to invest its considerable cash pile.


Boston Pharma Plays Catch Up To Akero, 89bio In MASH

 
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Competing with two Phase III competitors in the FGF21 analog class, Boston Pharma is hoping to begin Phase III this year. Novo Nordisk poses a new challenge with zalfermin.

After Obesity, What Are Biopharma’s Big Growth Markets?

 

The five therapy areas forecast to achieve the highest growth between 2024 and 2030 include a mixture of the more obvious (MASH) and less high profile (glioma). In some cases, which companies will seize market share remains up for grabs.

Madrigal’s Rezdiffra Continues Its Solid Launch

 
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With $180m in sales during its first nine months on the US market, the first approved MASH drug still tops projections. Madrigal predicts continued growth in 2025, with EU entry expected.

Organovo Offloads FXR Agonist Portfolio To Lilly

 
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Deal snapshot: Organovo gets a needed infusion of cash with downstream potential for more, while Lilly may have obtained its second MASH candidate this month beyond its internal program with tirzepatide.


Scrip Asks... What Does 2025 Hold For Biopharma? Part 6: Therapeutic Area Advances

 

Over 140 biopharma leaders share their views on developments to watch for in key therapeutic areas this year. Advances in multiple scientific fields are opening up new avenues for treatment.

Ascletis Becomes Another Contender For ‘Best-In-Class’ Oral GLP-1

 

ASC30's Phase I study has produced the best-yet weight loss achieved by an oral drug at 28 days, and it could be a serious rival for Lilly’s frontrunner orforglipron.

Zealand Narrows Field Of Potential Partners For Petrelintide

 
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Amylin analogs could well match the weight loss seen with Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly’s GLP-1-based blockbusters with less fewer tolerability issues. The Danish company believes petrelintide will lead the pack and is vetting potential big pharma partners very carefully.

Stock Watch: Novo Nordisk, Lilly Usher In GLP-1 Halo Effect

 
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Two pharmaceutical companies reporting bumper sales in the hot areas of diabetes and obesity may have helped a thaw in sector sentiment.


Apollo Awaits First Proof-Of-Concept Data For Atopic Dermatitis Drug

 

Having built its portfolio from university collaborations and targeted in-licensing, the UK firm now hopes to validate its business model with Phase II readouts in 2025.

Compounded GLP-1s For Obesity: Is The Genie Out Of The Bottle?

 
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Patient demand for compounded versions of FDA-approved obesity drugs is unlikely to dissipate, even if semaglutide’s “shortage” status is resolved. The issue likely will continue to be a high-profile concern for the brand industry.

Inventiva Tries Restructuring To Reach Phase III Finish Line In MASH

 
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Large headcount reduction and ending preclinical programs may give Inventiva runway to report Phase III data for lanifibranor that are expected during the second half of 2026.

10 Clinical Trials To Look Out For In 2025

 

Scrip surveys some of the more interesting Phase III clinical trial readouts expected this year.