GLP-1 News & Updates

Daily summaries of the most important GLP-1 stories — FDA decisions, clinical research, telehealth updates, and insurance coverage changes.

We independently review every GLP-1 program. No sponsored placements. No biased rankings.

Last updated: October 19, 2026

Today — Monday, October 19, 2026

1 article

GlobeNewswire (Rivus Pharmaceuticals press release) 10/19/2026 Research

Rivus Pharmaceuticals to Present Preclinical Obesity Data for Muscle-Preserving, Oral GLP-1 RV-8451 at ObesityWeek

Quick answer: Rivus Pharmaceuticals announced it will present new preclinical data on RV-8451, an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist designed to preserve lean muscle mass while producing fat loss, at the ObesityWeek conference. The company said it plans to submit an investigational new drug application for chronic weight management in the first quarter of 2027.

Read the original at GlobeNewswire (Rivus Pharmaceuticals press release)

Yesterday — Sunday, October 18, 2026

1 article

Fierce Biotech 10/18/2026 Market

Roche Signs Deal Worth Up to $1.16 Billion With China's Rona Therapeutics for Obesity Drug Candidate

Quick answer: Roche has licensed an ALK7-targeting RNAi obesity candidate from China's Rona Therapeutics, in a deal announced October 13 worth up to $1.16 billion before royalties: about $100 million in upfront and near-term payments plus up to $1.06 billion in milestones. The experimental therapy aims to silence the ALK7 receptor to reduce visceral and other ectopic fat while preserving lean mass, which Rona says could complement existing incretin-based drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide; no clinical data has been disclosed yet for the unnamed candidate. The deal follows a similar May 2026 GSK-SiranBio ALK7 licensing agreement and reflects Roche's stated goal of becoming a top-three player in the obesity drug market.

Read the original at Fierce Biotech

Friday — Friday, October 16, 2026

1 article

PharmExec 10/16/2026 Regulatory

EU Regulator Recommends Approval of Eli Lilly's Oral Obesity Pill Foundayo

Quick answer: The European Medicines Agency's human medicines committee (CHMP) recommended EU approval of Eli Lilly's oral GLP-1 pill Foundayo (orforglipron) for weight management and type 2 diabetes, based on trial data from more than 4,740 adults showing 5 to 11 percent weight loss across doses at 72 weeks versus roughly 2 to 2.5 percent on placebo. The European Commission still must issue a final decision, typically within a few weeks of a CHMP opinion; Foundayo would become the second oral GLP-1 pill available in the EU after Novo Nordisk's oral Wegovy, which was approved for weight management in July.

Read the original at PharmExec

Thursday — Thursday, October 15, 2026

1 article

Eli Lilly and Company (Investor Relations) 10/15/2026 Clinical

Lilly's Taltz-Zepbound Combination Shows Broader Biomarker Changes in Psoriasis-Obesity Trial

Quick answer: Lilly's Phase 3b TOGETHER-PsO trial testing Taltz (ixekizumab) combined with Zepbound (tirzepatide) in adults with psoriasis and obesity found the combination altered far more proteins and genes than Taltz alone by week 36 (482 proteins and 467 genes versus 140 proteins and 16 genes), with differences visible as early as week 12. The trial's primary endpoint, complete skin clearance plus at least 10 percent weight loss at week 36, was met by 27.1 percent of combination patients versus 5.8 percent on Taltz alone, with benefits sustained through week 52 and no new safety signals reported.

Read the original at Eli Lilly and Company (Investor Relations)

Wednesday — Wednesday, October 14, 2026

2 articles

STAT News 10/14/2026 Clinical

Eli Lilly's Zepbound-Eloralintide Combination Drives Greater Weight Loss Than Zepbound Alone in Mid-Stage Trial

Quick answer: A Lilly Phase 2 trial pairing Zepbound (tirzepatide) with the amylin-targeting candidate eloralintide produced an average of 23.3% body weight loss over roughly 11 months at the highest combination dose, versus 14.8% for Zepbound alone. STAT noted high rates of trial discontinuation in the combination arms, which may raise tolerability questions even as the efficacy data looked strong.

Read the original at STAT News

Medscape 10/14/2026 Research

GLP-1 Medications Show Strong Weight Loss in Teens With Obesity, but Long-Term Growth Data Still Lacking

Quick answer: New pediatric data presented around the American Academy of Pediatrics' 2026 meeting showed adolescents on semaglutide saw substantial BMI reduction compared with placebo, continuing the pattern seen in earlier trials such as STEP TEENS. Researchers cautioned that long-term effects on bone density, lean mass and growth in adolescents remain understudied, limiting how confidently clinicians can counsel younger patients.

Read the original at Medscape

Tuesday — Tuesday, October 13, 2026

3 articles

PharmaVoice 10/13/2026 Regulatory

Lilly Sues Six Businesses Over Black-Market Sales of Retatrutide

Quick answer: Eli Lilly's legal campaign against black-market sales of its unapproved obesity drug retatrutide continues, with the company targeting compounding pharmacies, medical spas and online sellers that mislabel the drug as research-use-only. Lilly has sued six entities in Texas and California courts and referred more than 200 individuals and businesses to the FDA, the Justice Department, state attorneys general and licensing boards, while retatrutide remains in Phase 3 trials and is not expected to reach the market until 2027.

Read the original at PharmaVoice

Pharmacy Times 10/13/2026 Clinical

Lilly's Experimental EloraTZP Combination Produces Up to 23.3% Weight Loss in Phase 2b Trial

Quick answer: A Phase 2b trial of EloraTZP, Eli Lilly's investigational combination of the amylin analog eloralintide and tirzepatide, found the highest-dose combination produced average weight loss of 23.3% at 48 weeks in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes, compared with 14.8% for tirzepatide alone. The 367-person trial also showed larger blood-sugar reductions with the combination, though more participants discontinued the combination than tirzepatide alone due to side effects.

Read the original at Pharmacy Times

Pharmacy Times 10/13/2026 Research

Novo Nordisk Data Show Wegovy Normalized Liver Fat in Most Adults With Obesity

Quick answer: A post hoc analysis of Novo Nordisk's STEP UP and STEP UP T2D trials, presented at EASD 2026, found semaglutide (Wegovy) reduced average liver fat from 8.8% to 3.1% after 72 weeks in a 55-person imaging subgroup, with 23 of 26 participants who started above a 5% liver-fat threshold dropping below it. The findings are exploratory, drawn from a small imaging subset without a placebo comparison, but support Novo's ongoing Phase 3 ESSENCE trial testing semaglutide in MASH with liver fibrosis.

Read the original at Pharmacy Times

Monday — Monday, October 12, 2026

2 articles

MIT Technology Review 10/12/2026 Research

Weight-loss drugs show signs of slowing biological aging, say drugmakers

Quick answer: Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly presented preliminary data at a Boston aging-research conference suggesting GLP-1 drugs may lower molecular measures of biological age by roughly two to three years in trial participants. Novo's analysis drew on blood samples from more than 10,000 people across five semaglutide trials, while Lilly's smaller tirzepatide analysis used epigenetic clocks; neither has been peer-reviewed and the effect has so far been shown mainly in overweight or diabetic patients rather than healthy people.

Read the original at MIT Technology Review

MIT Technology Review 10/12/2026 Clinical

We're still figuring out the side effects of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs

Quick answer: A review of emerging GLP-1 safety data finds digestive issues remain the most common side effect, alongside known associations with pancreatitis and gallstone disease, plus a disputed link to a rare optic-nerve condition that has drawn lawsuits against Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. A separate electronic health records study spanning 67 U.S. health systems found an association between GLP-1 use and increased hair-loss risk, though researchers say it remains an uncommon side effect.

Read the original at MIT Technology Review

Sunday — Sunday, October 11, 2026

1 article

CNBC 10/11/2026 Research

Why Lilly and Novo Are Betting on Amylin to Power a New Wave of Obesity Drugs After GLP-1s

Quick answer: Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are both advancing amylin-targeting drugs as a next-generation complement to their GLP-1 franchises. At the EASD meeting, Lilly presented Phase 2b data showing its eloralintide-tirzepatide combination produced 23.3% weight loss at 48 weeks in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes, versus 14.8% for tirzepatide alone, as both companies look past Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound toward amylin agonists as a possible next leg of growth.

Read the original at CNBC

Saturday — Saturday, October 10, 2026

1 article

NPR 10/10/2026 Clinical

Ongoing Lawsuits Allege GLP-1s Can Cause Serious Harm, But We Don't Know How Often

Quick answer: NPR's analysis of the FDA's adverse event database found more than 1,000 reports of optic neuropathy, including the rare condition NAION that can cause sudden vision loss, linked to GLP-1 drugs since 2024, out of nearly 190,000 total reports for the drug class over that period; it also found 1,928 pancreatitis reports in the same window. Novo Nordisk says serious conditions like NAION are exceedingly rare in clinical trials and its benefit-risk assessment of semaglutide is unchanged, while the FDA says it has not required label changes but has its own NAION study underway. The findings come amid growing federal litigation, including multidistrict suits alleging the drugmakers didn't adequately warn patients, though the database itself cannot establish causation.

Read the original at NPR

Friday — Friday, October 9, 2026

2 articles

NPR (via WUSF) 10/9/2026 Clinical

Some Who Take GLP-1s Are Suffering Serious Side Effects, But It's Unclear How Often

Quick answer: NPR health correspondent Yuki Noguchi reports that GLP-1 drugs, now prescribed for a growing range of conditions, carry side effects that lawsuits allege are in some cases life-altering or fatal, but how often serious harms actually occur remains unclear. More than 2,000 patients have filed suits against Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly alleging serious injuries, now centralized in federal multidistrict litigation in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The piece's throughline is that real-world GLP-1 use has outpaced the data on how common severe adverse events really are.

Read the original at NPR (via WUSF)

National Tribune (ANZCA release) 10/9/2026 Policy

Anaesthetists Warn GLP-1 and Peptide Users to Disclose Use Before Surgery Ahead of National Anaesthesia Day

Quick answer: The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists is urging patients on GLP-1 weight-loss injections and other peptides to tell their anaesthetist before surgery, since the drugs slow gastric emptying and can leave stomach contents that risk aspiration under general anaesthesia even after standard fasting. ANZCA President Dr Tanya Selak said patients should disclose exactly what they take, when they last took it, and why, noting some procedures have had to be delayed when use wasn't disclosed in advance. The warning, issued ahead of National Anaesthesia Day on October 16, also flags unapproved peptides bought online, which Australia's therapeutic regulator is separately moving to crack down on.

Read the original at National Tribune (ANZCA release)

Thursday — Thursday, October 8, 2026

1 article

Korea JoongAng Daily 10/8/2026 Regulatory

South Korea Approves First Homegrown GLP-1 Obesity Drug, Hanmi's Eppe

Quick answer: South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved Hanmi Pharmaceutical's efpeglenatide, branded Eppe, on October 7, making it the country's first domestically developed GLP-1 obesity treatment. In a 40-week Korean Phase 3 trial of 448 adults with obesity, the once-weekly injectable produced an average 9.75% weight loss, less than Wegovy or Mounjaro but with reportedly fewer gastrointestinal side effects; Hanmi plans a Korea launch by year-end at a lower price point.

Read the original at Korea JoongAng Daily

Wednesday — Wednesday, October 7, 2026

1 article

MIT Technology Review 10/7/2026 Research

Weight-Loss Drugs Show Signs of Slowing Biological Aging, Drugmakers Say

Quick answer: Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk say new data from molecular 'aging clock' tests suggest patients on their GLP-1 drugs show reduced biological age versus placebo, with Novo citing roughly two to three fewer biological years across tissues in an analysis of more than 10,000 trial participants. Aging researcher Steve Horvath called it early but promising evidence the drugs could act as geroprotectors, while cautioning the effect is unconfirmed outside overweight or diabetic populations studied so far, a question a separate $38 million NIH-backed trial in healthy older adults is now testing.

Read the original at MIT Technology Review

Tuesday — Tuesday, October 6, 2026

2 articles

Rhode Island Current 10/6/2026 Policy

Rhode Island Medicaid Ends Coverage of GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss

Quick answer: Rhode Island's Medicaid program stopped covering GLP-1 medications such as Wegovy, Zepbound, and Saxenda when prescribed for weight loss, effective October 1, 2026; the drugs remain covered when prescribed for other indications like type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association publicly objected, warning the rollback could lead to worse health outcomes and higher downstream medical costs in a state where roughly 31% of adults live with obesity.

Read the original at Rhode Island Current

PR Newswire 10/6/2026 Clinical

Viking Therapeutics Starts Oral Maintenance-Dosing Trial for Obesity Drug VK2735

Quick answer: Viking Therapeutics announced the start of Part 2 of its maintenance-dosing study for VK2735, a GLP-1/GIP obesity drug candidate, enrolling about 195 adults with obesity. After 21 weeks of weekly subcutaneous dosing, participants will be randomized to daily or weekly oral tablets, less-frequent injections, or placebo to see which regimen best sustains the initial weight loss; results are expected in 2027.

Read the original at PR Newswire

Monday — Monday, October 5, 2026

2 articles

U.S. News & World Report 10/5/2026 Clinical

New Class of Weight-Loss Drugs May Have Fewer Side Effects Than GLP-1s

Quick answer: A new international trial of petrelintide, an amylin-based obesity drug from Zealand Pharma and Roche, found participants lost about 10% of body weight over 42 weeks with gastrointestinal side effects close to placebo levels. That contrasts with GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, where nausea and vomiting are common complaints, and the companies are now advancing the drug into Phase 3 testing.

Read the original at U.S. News & World Report

STAT News 10/5/2026 Research

I studied GLP-1 use in children. The results are reassuring

Quick answer: A researcher's analysis of more than 3.5 million U.S. children ages 8-11 with obesity found only 0.6% were ever prescribed a GLP-1 drug, even though prescriptions in this age group rose 310-fold since 2019, with 94% of those prescribed having severe obesity. The author argues the data show doctors are reserving the drugs for the highest-risk cases, but cautions that future FDA approvals for younger children could invite broader use without long-term safety data on growth and puberty.

Read the original at STAT News

Sunday — Sunday, October 4, 2026

2 articles

Healio 10/4/2026 Clinical

GLP-1s may be linked to vision loss, but overall risk 'very, very low'

Quick answer: A speaker at the Academy 2026 optometry meeting said GLP-1 drugs have been linked to a rare optic nerve condition that can cause vision loss, though the absolute risk remains very low. Lawsuits are already underway against Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly over cases tied to their GLP-1 drugs. Clinicians say current evidence does not support stopping the medications over this risk, but patients should be aware of sudden vision changes.

Read the original at Healio

The Washington Post 10/4/2026 Research

New study suggests possible connection between GLP-1s and hair loss in men

Quick answer: A new study offers a possible biological clue linking GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound to hair thinning in men, a side effect some patients have called 'Ozempic hair.' Researchers caution that earlier studies have not established that the medications themselves directly cause hair loss. The finding adds to a growing list of reported side effects under study as GLP-1 use expands.

Read the original at The Washington Post

Saturday — Saturday, October 3, 2026

3 articles

BioPharma Dive 10/3/2026 Market

3 takeaways from a European obesity scientific meeting

Quick answer: At Europe's major obesity meeting, Lilly showed a Phase 2 combination of Zepbound and its amylin drug eloralintide with roughly 23% weight loss over 48 weeks versus about 15% for Zepbound alone, while Novo reported added weight loss in patients who switched from injections to oral Wegovy. Boehringer's survodutide and AbbVie's early amylin drug also gave first looks at what could become next-generation options beyond today's GLP-1s. These are mid-stage and real-world findings, so none change what is available today.

Read the original at BioPharma Dive

MedPage Today 10/3/2026 Clinical

Retatrutide Delivers Substantial Weight Loss in Type 2 Diabetes

Quick answer: A phase III trial of 1,152 adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes found Lilly's investigational triple agonist retatrutide substantially improved both blood sugar control and body weight. The result adds to evidence that triple-hormone drugs could outperform current GLP-1 and GLP-1/GIP options for people with diabetes. Retatrutide is still investigational and not FDA-approved.

Read the original at MedPage Today

STAT News 10/3/2026 Provider

STAT+: Lilly bypasses Australian pharmacies with DTC model

Quick answer: Eli Lilly is launching LillyDirect in Australia to deliver Mounjaro straight to patients' doors, and local doctors and pharmacists are pushing back. It signals that the direct-to-consumer GLP-1 model Lilly uses in the US is expanding abroad, which could reshape how patients buy these drugs. How regulators and pharmacy groups respond is still unclear.

Read the original at STAT News

Friday — Friday, October 2, 2026

2 articles

MedPage Today 10/2/2026 Clinical

GLP-1s Tied to Detached Fingernails in New Study

Quick answer: A large prospective study presented at EADV found that people using GLP-1 receptor agonists had as much as a fourfold higher likelihood of nail disorders, particularly onycholysis (separation of the nail from the nail bed), compared with patients not taking the drugs. It adds to a growing list of skin and hair side effects reported with GLP-1 use, and is worth knowing about if you notice nail changes on treatment. The findings show an association, so the study cannot establish that the drugs cause the nail problems.

Read the original at MedPage Today

MedPage Today 10/2/2026 Research

Novel GIP/GLP-1 Yields Uneven Findings in Diabetes Patients With Obesity

Quick answer: In the phase III SYNCHRONIZE-2 trial, an investigational dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist produced modest weight loss in adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity, but tolerability remained a concern. The results matter because the next wave of obesity drugs will be judged against semaglutide and tirzepatide on both weight loss and how well patients can stay on treatment. The drug is still investigational, and the tolerability findings will shape how it is positioned if it moves toward approval.

Read the original at MedPage Today

Thursday — Thursday, October 1, 2026

3 articles

STAT News 10/1/2026 Research

Lilly's Zepbound Plus Amylin Drug Eloralintide Hits 23.3% Weight Loss in Mid-Stage Trial, With High Dropout

Quick answer: Lilly reported at the EASD meeting that the highest-dose combination of Zepbound and its amylin candidate eloralintide produced 23.3% weight loss at 48 weeks among participants who stayed on treatment, versus 14.8% for Zepbound alone and 11.1% for the top dose of eloralintide alone. That is notable because people with type 2 diabetes typically lose less weight on these drugs, and it signals where next-generation obesity treatment is heading. High discontinuation rates raise open questions about tolerability, and this is a mid-stage study, so larger trials will need to confirm the results.

Read the original at STAT News

MedPage Today 10/1/2026 Clinical

New Easier-to-Use GLP-1 Pill Safe for the Heart, Study Says

Quick answer: The ACHIEVE-4 trial supports cardiovascular safety for the oral GLP-1 orforglipron (Foundayo) in adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity or overweight who are at elevated cardiovascular risk. For people considering a pill instead of an injection, that is reassuring on heart safety. MedPage notes that actual heart benefits remain unproven.

Read the original at MedPage Today

MedPage Today 10/1/2026 Clinical

No Clear Risks With GLP-1s Around Pregnancy, but Caution Urged

Quick answer: Two studies presented at EASD, including a systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 studies covering over 2.1 million people, found GLP-1 receptor agonist use around pregnancy did not appear to increase adverse maternal or perinatal outcomes. That is relevant for women of reproductive age taking these drugs, though researchers still urge caution. Patients who may become pregnant should discuss timing and stopping with their prescriber.

Read the original at MedPage Today

Wednesday — Wednesday, September 30, 2026

3 articles

HCPLive 9/30/2026 Research

Semaglutide 2 mg Escalation Tied to Lower MACE vs Tirzepatide Switch in T2D

Quick answer: Novo Nordisk presented a real-world claims analysis at EASD 2026 finding that adults with type 2 diabetes who were increased from semaglutide 1 mg to 2 mg had a 6% lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events than those switched to tirzepatide. The comparison covered about 185,700 patients who escalated versus about 23,100 who switched, and it matters for anyone weighing a dose increase against a switch. It is a retrospective, company-presented study that shows association rather than causation and did not assess safety outcomes, so it is not a substitute for head-to-head trial data.

Read the original at HCPLive

USA Today (via AOL) 9/30/2026 Provider

A popular GLP-1 provider just made its weight loss medications cheaper

Quick answer: Telehealth provider Mochi Health cut prices on September 29, with compounded semaglutide now starting at $60 per month and compounded tirzepatide at $90 per month. It also moved to dose-based pricing and launched Mochi Labs, with blood testing starting at $26. Prices for compounded products vary by dose and provider, and compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, so compare total costs and legitimacy before subscribing.

Read the original at USA Today (via AOL)

The Pharmaceutical Journal 9/30/2026 Clinical

Children taking GLP-1s can be at risk of nutritional deficiencies, study finds

Quick answer: A study in Childhood Obesity of 2,031 U.S. patients aged 10 to 17 found nutritional deficiencies in 10.2% within 180 days of starting a GLP-1 and 16.8%, roughly 1 in 6, after one year, with vitamin D deficiency the most common at 12.4%. Only 23.3% of participants received nutritional counseling in the first 180 days. It underscores the need for dietitian support and nutrient monitoring when GLP-1s are used in adolescents.

Read the original at The Pharmaceutical Journal

Tuesday — Tuesday, September 29, 2026

1 article

GlobeNewswire (Novo Nordisk / Hengrui Pharma) 9/29/2026 Market

Novo Nordisk Licenses Hengrui's Once-Weekly Oral GLP-1/GIP Obesity Candidate in Deal Worth Up to $2.6B

Quick answer: Novo Nordisk and Hengrui Pharma announced an exclusive license for HRS-1596, a once-weekly oral GLP-1/GIP dual receptor agonist, with a $300 million upfront payment and up to $2.6 billion in total milestones. Novo gets global rights outside mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and the drug is still phase 1-ready, so any oral weekly option for patients is years away. The deal is expected to close in Q4 2026 pending Hart-Scott-Rodino clearance.

Read the original at GlobeNewswire (Novo Nordisk / Hengrui Pharma)

Monday — Monday, September 28, 2026

1 article

STAT News 9/28/2026 Market

Once Described as Obesity Medicines for Patients, GLP-1s Are Increasingly Lifestyle Drugs for Customers

Quick answer: STAT News reports Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are shifting their GLP-1 marketing away from clinical, patient-focused messaging toward lifestyle branding, with Novo running campaigns like "Live lighter" and "Summer Glow Up" and rebranding Wegovy from an "anti-obesity medicine" to simply a "weight loss drug." Both companies are increasingly referring to users as "customers" rather than "patients," reflecting how GLP-1s have moved from a niche medical treatment to a mainstream consumer product. The shift raises questions about how marketing language may affect perceptions of these drugs as medical treatments versus lifestyle products, though the article (STAT+) does not detail specific regulatory response to the framing change.

Read the original at STAT News

Sunday — Sunday, September 27, 2026

2 articles

CBS News 9/27/2026 Market

How GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs Are Changing Fast-Food Menus

Quick answer: CBS News reports major chains are redesigning menus around GLP-1 users: McDonald's is adding grilled chicken sandwiches, wraps and egg bites as part of an $8.5 billion restaurant overhaul, Chipotle built a dedicated page for customers on a "GLP-1 journey," and Shake Shack now serves most burgers in lettuce wraps under its Good Fit Menu. A Journal of Marketing Research study cited in the piece found households with a GLP-1 user cut fast-food spending 8% in their first six months on the drugs. The shift signals GLP-1 adoption is now large enough to reshape food-industry strategy, not just individual diets.

Read the original at CBS News

CNBC 9/27/2026 Market

Novo Is Betting on Its Next Chapter as Eli Lilly Gains More Ground in GLP-1s

Quick answer: CNBC reports Novo Nordisk is charting a new strategic phase in the obesity-drug race as Eli Lilly continues to widen its lead in GLP-1 market share. The shifting competitive balance between the two dominant manufacturers shapes pricing pressure, supply priorities, and which new formulations reach patients first. It's the latest sign that Lilly's Zepbound and Mounjaro momentum is forcing Novo to rethink its playbook heading into next year.

Read the original at CNBC

Saturday — Saturday, September 26, 2026

1 article

BioPharma Dive 9/26/2026 Market

Novo Nordisk Signs Up to $1.32B Deal With Nanexa for Long-Acting Obesity Drug Delivery

Quick answer: Novo Nordisk signed a licensing deal worth up to €1.165 billion (about $1.32B) with Swedish biotech Nanexa to apply its PharmaShell long-acting injectable platform to as many as five obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiometabolic drug programs, with €615 million paid upfront. The goal is dosing as infrequently as once monthly or quarterly, a major convenience upgrade from today's weekly GLP-1 injections that could reshape how manufacturers compete beyond just efficacy and price. The deal covers formulation work only — no specific drug candidate or timeline has been named, so it will likely be years before a monthly or quarterly GLP-1 reaches patients.

Read the original at BioPharma Dive

Friday — Friday, September 25, 2026

3 articles

BioSpace 9/25/2026 Regulatory

FDA Warns Empower Pharmacy Over Illegal, Insanitary GLP-1 Compounding

Quick answer: The FDA issued a warning letter on September 18 to Empower Clinic Services (Empower Pharmacy) after a November 2025 inspection of its Houston facility found sterile compounding done under insanitary conditions that risked contaminating drugs "with filth." Investigators say the pharmacy was mass-producing copycat versions of Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound in volumes and patterns -- including missing prescriber sign-offs and repeated, pre-generated orders -- that go well beyond the patient-specific exception compounding law allows. Empower has 15 working days to submit corrective actions; the case is the latest in a string of FDA enforcement moves against large-scale GLP-1 compounders.

Read the original at BioSpace

Gizmodo 9/25/2026 Policy

Study: Over 1 Million Americans Are Taking GLP-1s for Unapproved Uses

Quick answer: New York University researchers mining a 300-million-patient dataset found more than 1.1 million Americans took a GLP-1 drug between 2021 and 2025 for a reason the FDA hasn't approved, including weight loss at a normal BMI, alcohol use disorder, or with a history of an eating disorder. People with a history of eating disorders were six times more likely to get an off-label prescription, and off-label use skewed toward women, white patients and those with private insurance. The findings raise questions about the safety evidence behind how physicians are actually prescribing these drugs, even as researchers note current obesity rates still far outpace overall GLP-1 uptake.

Read the original at Gizmodo

Cardiovascular Business 9/25/2026 Research

Why Semaglutide Protects the Heart Remains Unexplained, New Analysis Finds

Quick answer: A new analysis of the SELECT trial -- the first cardiovascular-outcomes study of semaglutide in people without diabetes -- confirms the drug significantly cuts heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events. Lead researcher Helen Colhoun says weight loss and improved waist circumference explain no more than half of that benefit, and her team could not tie the rest to known risk factors like blood pressure or cholesterol with any certainty. The results support treating semaglutide as a cardiovascular drug in its own right, but exactly how it protects the heart is still an open question.

Read the original at Cardiovascular Business

Thursday — Thursday, September 24, 2026

3 articles

WCAX 9/24/2026 Policy

Hundreds of Lawsuits Allege GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro Caused Permanent Vision Loss

Quick answer: Hundreds of lawsuits, with thousands more expected, have been filed against Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk alleging that semaglutide, tirzepatide, and dulaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, Mounjaro, Trulicity) caused NAION, a rare and currently untreatable form of sudden vision loss. Plaintiffs say the companies knew or should have known about the risk and failed to warn U.S. patients, even though the condition appears on some non-U.S. labels; both manufacturers deny a proven link. The litigation doesn't change medical guidance today, but it will likely keep pressure on regulators and drugmakers over labeling transparency.

Read the original at WCAX

Tri-State Alert 9/24/2026 Regulatory

China Could Be Flooding GLP-1 Markets With Unvetted Ingredients, AGs Warn in Letter to Feds

Quick answer: About 20 state attorneys general sent a letter this month warning federal officials that a loophole in the FDA's 2025 "Green List" of approved compounding-ingredient suppliers is letting unvetted Chinese manufacturers ship semaglutide, tirzepatide, and retatrutide raw material into the U.S. without inspection, citing one supplier with alleged ties to fentanyl manufacturing that repackaged counterfeit semaglutide under its own label. The AGs are asking the National Security Council to close the gap, framing it as both a consumer-safety and supply-chain-security issue. It's a fresh flashpoint in the broader crackdown on compounded GLP-1 products, as legitimate compounding options keep shrinking.

Read the original at Tri-State Alert

Yahoo Finance 9/24/2026 Market

Novo Nordisk CEO Says Company Open to Direct NYSE Share Listing

Quick answer: Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar told the Financial Times on September 23 that the company "could see advantages" to a direct NYSE listing, though it is not currently pursuing the move; more than half of Novo's revenue now comes from the U.S., driven largely by Ozempic and Wegovy sales. A direct listing would replace the company's current ADR structure and give U.S. investors direct share access, echoing a similar move by AstraZeneca earlier this year. Nothing is imminent — this is CEO commentary, not an announced transition.

Read the original at Yahoo Finance

Wednesday — Wednesday, September 23, 2026

1 article

Viking Therapeutics (Investor Relations) 9/23/2026 Research

Viking Therapeutics' VK2735 Lets Patients Keep Up to 90% of Weight Loss on Monthly or Every-Other-Week Dosing

Quick answer: Viking Therapeutics reported topline results from a maintenance-phase study of its GLP-1/GIP agonist VK2735: after a 21-week weekly-injection induction period, patients switched to every-other-week dosing retained an average of 90% of their week-21 weight loss over the next 12 weeks, and those switched to monthly dosing retained about 85%, versus 61% for patients moved to placebo. Patients on the 17.5 mg dose lost 22% of body weight (placebo-adjusted) by week 33, clearing the 20% threshold the industry treats as a benchmark for a competitive next-generation obesity drug, with GI side-effect rates during maintenance similar to placebo. Viking is running Phase 3 trials of VK2735 and developing an oral version, positioning it as one of the more advanced challengers behind Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.

Read the original at Viking Therapeutics (Investor Relations)

Tuesday — Tuesday, September 22, 2026

4 articles

ScienceDaily 9/22/2026 Research

Stopping GLP-1 Drugs Rapidly Erases Heart Protection: 333,000-Veteran Study Finds 22% Higher Cardiovascular Risk After Two Years Off Treatment

Quick answer: A Washington University in St. Louis study of 333,687 veterans with type 2 diabetes, published in BMJ Medicine, found that the cardiovascular benefit of GLP-1 therapy fades fast once treatment stops: two years off the drugs was associated with a 22% higher risk of heart attack, stroke and death compared with staying on them. About half of GLP-1 users quit within months over cost, side effects or supply, so the finding reframes staying on treatment as a clinical outcome in its own right rather than a compliance footnote. Restarting restored only part of the lost protection, which the authors describe as a lasting scar.

Read the original at ScienceDaily

Healio 9/22/2026 Research

CagriSema Outperforms Tirzepatide on Weight Loss at Low Doses in REIMAGINE 5, With an FDA Decision Expected This Quarter

Quick answer: Novo Nordisk reported that low-dose CagriSema (1.0 mg/1.0 mg) produced 12.4% average weight loss at week 60 in adults with type 2 diabetes, versus 9.1% for tirzepatide 5 mg, while meeting non-inferiority on HbA1c reduction. The low-dose framing matters because tolerability is what drives many patients off these drugs before they reach top doses, and it is the first head-to-head signal favoring Novo after CagriSema underperformed against Lilly in an earlier comparison. An FDA decision on CagriSema for chronic weight management is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Read the original at Healio

CNBC 9/22/2026 Insurance

Eli Lilly CEO Says 700,000 Seniors Have Started GLP-1s Since Medicare Coverage Began in July, With 70% on Lilly Drugs

Quick answer: Lilly CEO Dave Ricks told CNBC that 700,000 seniors have started GLP-1 treatment since Medicare's obesity-drug coverage launched in July, and that 70% of them are taking Lilly products, chiefly Zepbound and the newly launched oral Foundayo. That is up from the roughly 500,000 enrollees reported for the program's first two months, and Ricks characterized most of the volume as new patients rather than switchers. The $50-per-month Medicare GLP-1 Bridge runs through December 2027, which leaves the question of what these patients pay afterward still unresolved.

Read the original at CNBC

Medical Daily 9/22/2026 Clinical

Case Reports Cut Both Ways on GLP-1s and Sleep: One Patient's Sleep-Eating Resolved, Another's Night Terrors Returned

Quick answer: A review of recent case reports finds GLP-1 medications pointing in opposite directions on sleep: tirzepatide resolved night eating syndrome and sleep-related eating disorder in two patients, while semaglutide triggered a dose-dependent return of childhood night terrors in a 42-year-old woman, with episodes clearing within 10 days of lowering her dose. Sleep effects remain an under-discussed part of the GLP-1 side-effect picture and may matter most for people with a prior parasomnia history. These are individual cases rather than trial data, so they establish timing, not causation.

Read the original at Medical Daily

Monday — Monday, September 21, 2026

1 article

STAT News 9/21/2026 Market

Novo Nordisk Unveils New Strategy at Capital Markets Day: Five Multi-Blockbusters by 2030, Deeper Direct-to-Consumer Push

Quick answer: At its Capital Markets Day in London on September 21, Novo Nordisk laid out a new strategy for regaining ground lost to Eli Lilly, with CEO Mike Doustdar targeting at least five multi-blockbuster products by 2030 and more than 150 billion Danish kroner in risk-adjusted pipeline sales by 2035. The company said it plans to expand manufacturing capacity enough to serve ten times more people with oral GLP-1 treatment for obesity, grow its NovoCare direct-to-consumer sales channel, and diversify its pipeline beyond diabetes and obesity into new therapy areas. Novo shares fell following the presentation as investors weighed the ambitious long-term targets against the company's ongoing struggle to keep pace with Lilly's Zepbound and Foundayo.

Read the original at STAT News

Sunday — Sunday, September 20, 2026

3 articles

SBS News (citing The Wall Street Journal) 9/20/2026 Clinical

WSJ: Patients Sue Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly Over Sudden Vision Loss (NAION) Allegedly Linked to GLP-1 Drugs

Quick answer: The Wall Street Journal reports that lawsuits are underway against Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly from patients who developed non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a form of sudden and often permanent vision loss, after taking GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound, with more than 90 cases filed by one firm in New Jersey state court and a separate federal docket in Philadelphia. The evidence remains mixed: some studies suggest roughly a twofold increase in risk while the absolute rate stays very low, one ophthalmology study found a much larger increase, and a Novo-funded study found no link. The FDA has been investigating since late 2024 without adding a US label warning, while European regulators labeled NAION a very rare side effect in 2025; both drugmakers say causation has not been established.

Read the original at SBS News (citing The Wall Street Journal)

Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News 9/20/2026 Research

Lilly's Next-Generation GIP/GLP-1 Drug Brenipatide Shows Early Promise in Substance Use and Psychiatric Disorders, Heads Straight to Phase 3

Quick answer: At Psych Congress 2026, Eli Lilly presented Phase 1 data on brenipatide, a GIP/GLP-1 dual agonist in the same class as tirzepatide but designed to target reward and inflammatory pathways in the brain, showing a 9-to-12-day half-life that supports once-weekly dosing and a tolerability profile with GI side effects at the same rate as placebo. Lilly is skipping Phase 2 and has launched Phase 3 trials in major depressive disorder (about 1,000 participants) and alcohol use disorder (about 2,200 participants across two trials), with Phase 2 studies also running in opioid and tobacco use disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. This is the clearest signal yet that GLP-1-class drugs are being developed for indications well beyond weight and diabetes, though efficacy results are not expected until around 2028.

Read the original at Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News

HIT Consultant 9/20/2026 Provider

Amazon One Medical Expands On-Demand GLP-1 Care to 48 States and D.C. With $39 Message Visits and $59 Video Visits

Quick answer: Amazon One Medical has expanded its GLP-1 weight management program nationwide to 48 states and Washington, D.C., adding a cash-pay on-demand tier with $39 asynchronous message consultations and $59 video visits that requires no One Medical membership, alongside insurance-billed care integrated into its primary care clinics. Prescriptions route through Amazon Pharmacy with upfront pricing shown before booking: oral Wegovy and Foundayo from $25 per month with eligible insurance or $149 cash-pay, and Wegovy and Zepbound injectables from $199 cash-pay, with same-day delivery in about 3,100 cities. The move puts Amazon in direct competition with Ro, Hims & Hers, and other telehealth providers on both price and convenience for FDA-approved GLP-1s.

Read the original at HIT Consultant

Saturday — Saturday, September 19, 2026

3 articles

MedPage Today 9/19/2026 Clinical

SELECT Secondary Analysis: Wegovy Cuts Cardiovascular Risk in Heart Disease Patients Regardless of Frailty

Quick answer: A secondary analysis of the SELECT trial found that frailty did not blunt the benefits of semaglutide (Wegovy) in adults with cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity, with benefits holding through week 104. This matters because frail, older cardiac patients are often assumed to be poor candidates for weight-loss drugs, and this data suggests they are not. Frailty screening may become less of a barrier to prescribing as clinicians digest these results.

Read the original at MedPage Today

ScienceDaily 9/19/2026 Research

University of Chicago Study Finds Few Measurable Benefits of GLP-1 Drugs Beyond Physical Health

Quick answer: A National Bureau of Economic Research working paper from University of Chicago economists Robert Kaestner and Cuiping Schiman analyzed more than a decade of Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data on adults with diabetes and found little evidence that starting GLP-1 medication changed mental health, self-rated health, employment, or marital status. The finding matters for the coverage debate, since insurers and government programs have been asked to weigh broader social and economic gains alongside well-documented medical benefits. The authors caution that subtler effects like self-esteem or relationship quality were not captured, and that non-diabetic weight-management users were not studied.

Read the original at ScienceDaily

Fierce Pharma 9/19/2026 Market

Fierce Pharma: Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar on the Company's Corporate Rebrand and Plans to Regain GLP-1 Ground

Quick answer: Fierce Pharma profiles Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar, brought in last year after the company lost GLP-1 marketing ground to Eli Lilly, as Novo rolls out a corporate rebrand. The interview offers a window into how the Wegovy and Ozempic maker plans to compete after Lilly's Zepbound and Foundayo gains. For GLP-1 users, Novo's strategy shapes future pricing, oral options, and supply for one of the two dominant brands.

Read the original at Fierce Pharma

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