Obesity
Viking Therapeutics rode strong obesity data before a major capital raise, while Longeveron’s mid-stage setback prompted questions about its future.
A surge of consolidation, rising appetite for specialized manufacturing and a shift toward decentralized trials is reshaping Switzerland’s life sciences landscape. From peptide producers to organoid CROs, service providers are scaling and diversifying as global sponsors turn to Swiss hubs for talent, innovation and regulatory strength.
Kailera Therapeutics and Hengrui Pharma’s weekly injection showed benefits beyond weight loss in a mid-stage trial, leading to more regular menstrual cycles in patients with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome.
Despite meeting the primary endpoints in a Phase 3 trial, shares of Zealand Pharma dropped in premarket trading Thursday as the up to 9.8% weight loss reflected inferior loss to that generated by competitors.
EloraTZP—a combination of an amylin asset and Eli Lilly’s approved obesity drug Zepbound—made a clean sweep of the primary and secondary endpoints in a mid-stage trial of adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes, setting up the launch of a Phase 3 trial before the end of the year.
Eli Lilly’s weight loss pill Foundayo has had a “slower-than-hoped” launch, according to BMO Capital Markets, which contended that the indirect comparison data—despite falling short of definitive proof of superiority—could help the Indiana giant build momentum for its oral drug.
Roche’s anti-myostatin therapy emugrobart is unlikely to elicit meaningful weight loss, according to an interim mid-stage analysis, prompting the pharma to return the asset rights to its subsidiary Chugai Pharmaceutical.
Investors looking for more transformative business development at Novo will have to wait, but a new partnership with China’s Hengrui Pharma adds a new weekly oral option to the Danish pharma’s early pipeline.
FDA inspectors found evidence that the compounding pharmacy was making versions of Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide and Novo’s semaglutide “regularly or in inordinate amounts” at a site with “insanitary conditions.”
Tech darling Enveda has raised a total of $845 million in the past six years. The latest funding round is intended to pave the way for an IPO someday.
PRESS RELEASES