Ozempic cuts drinking, Zepbound beats Wegovy, and a blood test detects 50 cancers: Pharma news roundup
Some patients taking weight-loss drugs, including popular GLP-1 treatments like Ozempic (NVO) and Wegovy, reported reducing their consumption of alcohol, according to a new study published recently in the scientific journal JAMA Network Open. Eli Lilly released results this week of a clinical trial comparing its weigh-loss drug Zepbound (LLY) against its rival Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy. Function Health, a lab tests startup, announced this week that its members will now have access to a first-of-its-kind, multi-cancer early detection test that screens for over 50 different types of cancers with a simple blood draw.
Check out those stories and more pharmaceutical news highlights from this week.
Wegovy and Zepbound are leading this year’s weight loss drug prescription surge
The weight loss revolution is in full swing, with the number of patients receiving Wegovy (NVO) having doubled while those receiving Zepbound have tripled since January 2024. Despite soaring costs and limited insurance coverage, Americans are showing no signs of slowing down in their pursuit of effective weight management solutions, according to new data from prescription savings platform GoodRx (GDRX).
Moderna CEO says he’ll work with Trump using ‘facts and data’
Moderna (MRNA) CEO Stéphane Bancel said that he plans to address any partisan hurdles with the incoming Trump administration’s vaccine and pandemic preparedness policies with “facts and data.” Bancel’s comments follow President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement that vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is his choice for U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
This startup says it can screen for over 50 cancers with one simple blood draw
Function Health, a lab tests startup, announced this week that its members will now have access to early cancer detection tests from GRAIL (ILMN), thanks to a new partnership between the two companies. With this new partnership, Function Health members will have access to GRAIL’s Galleri test — a first-of-its-kind, multi-cancer early detection test that screens for over 50 different types of cancers with a simple blood draw.
Eli Lilly says Zepbound beat rival weight loss drug Wegovy in head-to-head study
Zepbound is the “superior” choice for people looking to shed a few pounds, at least compared to Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, according to Eli Lilly. On Wednesday, the Indiana-based pharmaceutical firm released the topline results of a head-to-head clinical trial that it funded, which Lilly says is the first randomized, controlled clinical trial that compares the two weight loss drugs.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot in New York
UnitedHealthcare (UNH) CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot in New York on Wednesday morning, according to the New York Police Department. “This does not appear to be a random act of violence,” said New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch at a press conference. “It appears the suspect was lying in wait for several minutes.” UnitedHealthcare is a division of UnitedHealth Group and the largest private health insurer in the U.S.
Ozempic and other weight loss drugs could be making people drink less, study says
Another study suggests that weight-loss meds like Wegov and Mounjaro can help people cut back on drinking alcohol. Some patients taking weight-loss drugs, including popular GLP-1 treatments, reported reducing their consumption of alcohol, according to a new study published recently in the scientific journal JAMA Network Open.