Oncobesity News Posts

Combining GLP-1 drugs with hormones may lower uterine cancer risk
Adding GLP-1 medications like Ozempic to progestin therapy could cut the risk of developing endometrial cancer. A retrospective study published in the journal JAMA Network Open found that women using this combination had a much lower risk of developing the disease than those on progestins alone.

Lilly appeals retatrutide classification ruling in case that could impact compounders
Eli Lilly is challenging a decision over how the FDA classified its experimental, next-gen obesity shot, in a case that could affect the ability of compounders to rival it.
On Thursday, Lilly filed a notice …

FDA Leader Accused of Sexual Harassment; RFK Jr.’s Toilet Comment; GLP-1s and Scurvy
(MedPage Today) — Note that some links may require registration or subscription.
FDA vaccine chief Vinay Prasad, MD, MPH, who made the controversial decision to refuse to review Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine, has been accused of sexual harassment…

Lilly Prepares $1B+ Orforglipron Stock Ahead of Approval as Novo Brings Wegovy Pill Overseas
Eli Lilly has long been gearing up for the launch of orforglipron, announcing as early as February 2024 that it was ramping up manufacturing investments for the weight-loss pill.

STAT+: Trump administration is urged to use a federal law to authorize generic versions of GLP-1 drugs
Public Citizen contends that Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly’s obesity drugs are straining budgets so much that generics should be authorized.

Potentially Blinding Eye Condition Tied to Ozempic Again
(MedPage Today) — Risk for a rare, potentially blinding eye condition was low, but it was significantly higher in diabetes patients who started semaglutide (Ozempic) versus SGLT2 inhibitors, an observational study of U.S. veterans showed.
Among…

Novo Nordisk to expand Irish factory for Wegovy pill
Novo Nordisk is ramping up its footprint in Ireland with a planned expansion of its Athlone factory to make its Wegovy pill, the company confirmed to Endpoints News.
The Athlone site will supply the pill …

Viking to push oral GLP-1/GIP drug into phase III obesity trial
Viking Therapeutics Inc. said after-market hours Feb. 11 that it plans to advance its oral dual GLP-1/GIP receptor, VK-2735, into a phase III trial for obesity in the third quarter of 2026. VK-2735 is a novel dual glucagon-like peptide-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GLP-1/GIP) receptor agonist.

How employers feel about the state of healthcare (and GLP-1s)
A few weeks back, I moderated a dinner conversation among company heads of HR and benefits here in Denver organized by primary care operator Marathon Health.
These employee benefit leaders are a group I hear …

Using GLP-1s to maintain a normal weight? There are benefits and risks
Drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy are intended for people who are overweight. Some patients are using them after bariatric surgery to keep pounds from creeping back. Others may just want to lose a few pounds.

Oral Wegovy Brings in Thousands of New GLP-1 Patients
The oral version of Wegovy has made GLP-1 medicines more accessible and acceptable to many patients who had steered clear of injectable versions, healthcare analytics firm Truveta suggests.

More Good News for GLP-1 Agonists and Cancer Risk
(MedPage Today) — Women with nonmalignant uterine disease and a history of GLP-1 agonist and progestin treatment had a significantly lower risk of endometrial cancer (EC) compared with progestins alone, a retrospective study showed.
Based on…

Ascletis raises $107M to advance oral GLP-1 to phase III trials
Ascletis Pharma Inc. raised HK$843.53 million (US107.93 million) in a placement on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to advance its lead program, ASC-30, a small-molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist that can be dosed once monthly subcutaneously and once daily orally for treating obesity.

Blockbuster weight loss drugs like Ozempic deliver big results but face big questions
Three major reviews commissioned by the World Health Organization find that GLP-1 drugs including tirzepatide (sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound), semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy), and liraglutide (Victoza and Saxenda) can lead to substantial weight loss in people with obesity. But while the results are impressive, researchers caution that most trials were funded by drugmakers, long term safety data are still limited, and side effects such as nausea are common.

Secondary Cardiovascular Disease Prevention With Semaglutide at Cash Price Is Cost-Effective
TUESDAY, Feb. 10, 2026 — Lowering the annual cost of semaglutide by 18 percent (from $8,604 to $7,055) or making the current cash price available to all patients would make semaglutide cost-effective, according to a study published online Feb. 4…

Hims & Hers Wegovy Knock-Off Pill Sparks Lawsuit After FDA Crackdown
Hims & Hers has withdrawn its low cost compounded weight loss pill after pressure from top U.S. health officials and a major lawsuit. Image courtesy of Novo Nordisk
Hims & Hers recently announced a $49 compounded semaglutide pill, offering a low cost alternative to the new Wegovy pill.
However, the compounded version was withdrawn from the market after pressure from the HHS and FDA.

Ozempic Pill Launching; Glucose Monitor Makers Warned; Thyroidectomy in Older Adults
(MedPage Today) — The FDA approved three doses — 1.5 mg, 4 mg, and 9 mg — of a new oral semaglutide formulation for diabetes (Ozempic tablets), Novo Nordisk announced.
An ad for Novo Nordisk’s weight loss pill version of semaglutide (Wegovy…

US FDA finds ad introducing Wegovy pill misleading
Novo Nordisk A/S’ television ad introducing the tablet form of its weight-loss drug, Wegovy (semaglutide), to American consumers didn’t pass regulatory muster.

GLP-1 drugs may protect the heart beyond weight loss, trial results suggest
With the use of GLP-1 medications on the rise, cardiologists are seeing benefits to heart health, and it might not all be related to weight loss alone. GLP-1 medications, including semaglutide, are a class of drugs that act on receptors throughout the body, influencing insulin sensitivity, appetite regulation, inflammation and metabolic health. These therapies traditionally were used to treat diabetes; however, weight loss is a well-recognized side effect, and they are now used for weight loss goals.

Kailera, Hengrui Push Oral GLP-1/GIP Pill to Phase 3 After Clearing Mid-Stage China Study
Kailera will launch a global Phase 2 study of ribupatide this year, while Hengrui will push the asset into Phase 3 in China.

New Novo Nordisk weight-loss drug more effective than Wegovy in clinical trial

Hims Pulls Cheaper Wegovy Pill After Federal Scrutiny
MONDAY, Feb. 9, 2026 — Hims & Hers says it will stop selling a low-cost copy of a new weight-loss pill made by Novo Nordisk, after federal officials raised concerns that the product may violate drug laws.
The online health company…

Novo Sues Hims & Hers Over Compounded Version of Oral Wegovy Pill
Novo Nordisk has sued Hims for allegedly violating patents protecting semaglutide, seeking potentially “hundreds of millions” in damages, John Kuckelman, the pharma’s general counsel, said. The wellness platform pulled its version of the drug just days after launching it.

Novo Nordisk sues Hims over Wegovy patent infringement, considers seeking ‘hundreds of millions’ in damages
Novo Nordisk on Monday said it is suing telehealth company Hims & Hers for allegedly infringing its patent on the weight loss medication semaglutide — not just for the pill version but also for the injectable …

STAT+: Novo Nordisk sues Hims & Hers for infringing on a key Wegovy patent
Novo Nordisk sues Hims & Hers for infringing on a key Wegovy patent.

Can Ozempic Cure Addiction?
GLP-1 drugs, which have helped some people curb drug and alcohol use, may unlock a pathway to moderation.

Hims says it will stop selling GLP-1 pill, after legal pressure from US
The telehealth company Hims & Hers said it will no longer sell a compounded version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill, just days after announcing the new product.
The move comes after Novo, which launched its …

You’ve reached your weight loss goal on GLP-1 medications. What now?
GLP-1 drugs have ushered in a new era in weight loss.

The Hims vs. Novo showdown; Pfizer’s monthly GLP-1 data; Q4 earnings roundup; and more
Welcome back to another edition of Endpoints Weekly! It’s Super Bowl weekend with the Patriots and Seahawks fighting for the championship. While our many Boston-area readers are surely excited, most of us here in New …

STAT+: HHS asks Justice Department to probe Hims & Hers over its cheaper compounded version of Wegovy
FDA will take “decisive steps” to thwart companies from mass marketing unapproved, compounded versions of GLP-1 drugs

US calls for DOJ investigation of Hims over GLP-1 drugs
The US government said it will refer telehealth and GLP-1 company Hims & Hers to the Department of Justice for investigation, following the company’s controversial launch of a compounded version of Novo …

Synergizing global clinical trials data: GLP-1 receptor agonist safety and novel clinical applications
A research team led by the Department of Medicine, under the School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has synergized the impacts of worldwide clinical trial data through a series of meta-analyses on GLP‑1 receptor agonists, an emerging cardiometabolic drug, offering in-depth insights into its safety profile and novel therapeutic potential in treating cardiovascular diseases.

Use of GLP-1 Drugs Under Scrutiny at Winter Olympics
(MedPage Today) — As the Winter Olympic Games get underway, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is monitoring an unexpected class of drugs: GLP-1 receptor agonists.
An advisory group that makes recommendations about WADA’s list of prohibited…

STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about TrumpRx, Hims & Hers selling compounded Wegovy, and more
President Trump on Thursday night launched TrumpRx, the website he and his aides have touted as a platform aimed at lowering drug prices

STAT+: IPOs, GLP-1s, and challenges with a gene therapy
And other biotech news brought to you by The Readout

Makary Blasts ‘Illegal Copycat Drugs’ as Hims Launches Compounded Wegovy Pill
Novo Nordisk has also spoken out strongly against Hims & Hers’ compounded Wegovy pill, with CEO Maziar Mike Doustdar telling investors the knockoff version is a waste of money.

Post-Hoc Live: Analyzing the Novo vs. Hims GLP-1 showdown
I’ve been waiting for the big showdown between drugmakers and compounders for months, and it’s finally here.
Today on Post-Hoc Live at 12 p.m. ET, we’ll be talking about telehealth company Hims & Hers’ plan …

Obesity Space Abuzz With Oral, Amylin Assets as Momentum Rides Into 2026
Biopharma’s obsession with the weight loss sector—projected to exceed $130 billion in revenue by 2035—shows no signs of slowing down as analysts gear up for a year that will test the oral market and provide key data on novel mechanisms.

FDA chief Makary takes aim at Hims’ compounded Wegovy pill plans
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary took a not-so-subtle swipe at Hims & Hers in a social media post Thursday, saying his agency would “take swift action against companies mass-marketing illegal copycat drugs.”
Without naming Hims, Makary’ …

2026 GLP-1 Super Bowl Commercials May Be Game Changers for Weight Loss Drugs
New GLP-1 ads, like telehealth provider Ro’s new campaign featuring tennis icon Serena Williams, aim to shift the conversation about weight loss drugs.
This year, the Super Bowl will feature advertising of GLP-1 drugs in new ways.
Telehealth provider Ro is using tennis star Serena Williams to help break down stigma.