Novo Nordisk will pay up to $2.6 billion to license HRS-1596, an experimental oral obesity drug from China's Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals, marking the company's second major deal since a key investor meeting.
Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar told Reuters that oral weight-loss medications could represent up to half of the global obesity drug market by 2030, as the Danish drugmaker positions itself for a shift toward pill-based treatments alongside its injectable GLP-1 drugs.
Roche's experimental obesity shot enicepatide reduced blood sugar and body weight by 15.5% in type-2 diabetes patients in a mid-stage trial, with a meaningful proportion reaching normalized glucose levels within less than a year of treatment.
Novo Nordisk announced its experimental drug CagriSema achieved 12.4% average weight loss in diabetes patients, surpassing Eli Lilly's rival treatment. Meanwhile, Eli Lilly reported 700,000 new seniors have begun GLP-1 treatments since Medicare coverage for obesity drugs launched in July, with 70% choosing Lilly medications.
Novo Nordisk announced topline results showing CagriSema achieved 12.4% weight loss versus 9.1% for tirzepatide at 60 weeks in adults with type 2 diabetes in the REIMAGINE 5 trial, and induced 21% weight loss at 68 weeks in people with overweight or obesity without diabetes in the REDEFINE trial.
New research shows that GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide, commonly used for weight loss and diabetes treatment, are associated with fewer exacerbations in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The findings are based on real-world patient data and add to growing evidence of respiratory benefits from these medications.
Roche acquired rights to Hanmi Pharmaceutical's obesity drug for $190 million upfront and up to $2.3 billion total. The drug is designed to activate receptors in skeletal muscle to increase muscle mass while reducing fat, addressing a key concern with current GLP-1 weight loss medications.
A decades-long UK study reveals that millions of men with heart disease have an elevated risk of developing and dying from cancer. Researchers identified smoking, obesity, and excessive alcohol consumption as the primary drivers behind the increased cancer cases in this population.
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has authorized orforglipron (brand name Foundayo), a once-daily oral medication from Eli Lilly for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes, making the UK the first country in Europe to approve the drug.
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reported that more than 200 deaths have been linked to weight loss medications including Wegovy and Mounjaro, with the majority associated with tirzepatide. The data also shows approximately 18,000 adverse reactions have been reported.
Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly announced it will allow a limited number of patients with severe obesity to access its unapproved experimental drug retatrutide through a compassionate use program, following a case where it granted the drug to a 79-year-old patient. The program has strict eligibility criteria that most patients cannot meet.
Brazil's health regulator Anvisa approved five new injectable GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and obesity treatment, following expedited regulatory reviews after Ozempic's patent expired in the country in March 2026.
India's drug regulator approved Novo Nordisk's obesity drug Wegovy for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a serious form of fatty liver disease, expanding the drug's approved uses beyond weight loss.
The European Commission has approved Novo Nordisk's once-daily Wegovy pill for weight management in adults with obesity or who are overweight, marking the first oral GLP-1 weight-loss treatment cleared for use across the European Union.
Researchers found that semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, slowed biological aging markers in adults with HIV, marking the first clinical evidence that the drug may influence human aging beyond its metabolic effects.
Indian drugmaker Dr. Reddy's Laboratories announced it is delaying commercial production of its generic semaglutide (Ozempic) after discovering an unspecified issue with the active pharmaceutical ingredient in some batches. Shares fell as much as 6.5%.
On July 9, 2026, China's National Health Commission added injectable semaglutide and 115 other drugs to its National Essential Medicines List — the first update in eight years — expanding the catalog to 794 medicines effective September 1, 2026, while domestic oral GLP-1 candidates from Hengrui and Gan & Lee advanced in clinical trials.
A secret shopper investigation of 49 websites prescribing GLP-1 weight loss drugs confirmed experts' concerns about inadequate clinical oversight and fast, easy prescriptions with minimal medical evaluation.
Lawsuits over vision loss risks from Saxenda (liraglutide) emerge as Medicare begins covering GLP-1 medications for seniors over 65, raising questions about proper usage and safety in older populations.
GLP-1 drugs from Pfizer and Innovent Biologics have cleared preliminary review to potentially be included in China's basic medical insurance drug catalogue, which would expand access to these treatments.
Eli Lilly provided its experimental 'triple-G' weight loss drug retatrutide to a 79-year-old patient through the FDA's compassionate use program, marking an extremely rare instance of pre-approval access to an obesity medication.
New research published in JAMA Otolaryngology analyzing health records from nearly 900,000 patients suggests long-term use of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro for diabetes management is associated with increased risks of smell and taste disturbances, though experts note these side effects are not common.
AstraZeneca announced results from a phase II trial showing its oral GLP-1 therapy reduced body weight by 10.5%, positioning the company to compete with Eli Lilly in the race to develop convenient pill-based obesity treatments. The drug is advancing to late-stage trials.
Poison control centers have experienced a sharp increase in calls related to semaglutide medications (Ozempic and Wegovy) following their approval for weight management, with researchers finding most cases stem from preventable dosing mistakes such as daily instead of weekly injections or confusion about proper dosage units.
CVS Health announced it will add Eli Lilly's weight-loss drug Zepbound back to some of its drug lists as an additional preferred option and begin coverage for the drugmaker's newly approved obesity pill, Forza.
Eli Lilly announced positive results from its Phase 3 TRIUMPH-1 trial showing retatrutide, an experimental triple-agonist obesity drug, achieved average weight loss of 28.3% at 80 weeks and 30.3% at 104 weeks on the highest dose, matching weight reduction levels typically seen with bariatric surgery.
New ethics disclosures reveal President Trump purchased stock in Eli Lilly and an injectable device manufacturer while his health agencies implemented policies benefiting these companies' obesity drug products.
Novo Nordisk's stock price and earnings received a boost following less-negative news about the development of an oral version of its blockbuster weight loss drug Wegovy, marking progress in the company's efforts to create a pill formulation.
France's medicines regulator has imposed fines on Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly for their weight loss drug advertising campaigns, marking a significant regulatory action against the pharmaceutical giants' marketing practices.
A clinical trial of 108 adults with obesity and alcohol use disorder found that once-weekly semaglutide injections reduced heavy drinking days in the past 30 days by an average of roughly 12 days, representing a 50% reduction compared to placebo.
Medical professionals and researchers are expressing serious concerns about GLP-1 receptor agonist medications like Ozempic being misused by people with eating disorders or triggering disordered eating behaviors, with patients describing the drugs as addictive and relapse-inducing.
British researchers have created a new diagnostic tool designed to identify individuals most at risk of developing obesity-related diseases, which could help target weight-loss medications to those who would benefit most from treatment.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that its temporary BALANCE model program to cover GLP-1 drugs for obesity in Medicare will not launch as scheduled in January, effectively extending the current coverage approach.
Mayo Clinic study finds metabolic and bariatric surgery provides significantly greater long-term cardiovascular risk reduction compared to GLP-1 medications in people with obesity, despite both treatments improving heart health.
Researchers who developed GLP-1 obesity medications are now advancing a provocative hypothesis that targeting the GLP-1 hormone may not be necessary for effective weight loss, potentially reshaping the approach to obesity treatment.
Medical professionals and patients on social media are increasingly reporting a phenomenon called 'Ozempic personality,' characterized by emotional flattening and reduced ability to experience joy while taking GLP-1 medications for weight loss.
New research shows adolescents consuming more ultra-processed foods have significantly higher odds of obesity, while separate studies link UPF consumption to higher muscle fat content in adults at risk for knee osteoarthritis and worse overall muscle health.
New research reveals that approximately 10% of people carry specific genetic variants that make popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy significantly less effective, providing the first genetic explanation for variable drug response.
University of Pennsylvania researchers used AI to analyze over 400,000 Reddit posts to identify patient-reported symptoms associated with semaglutide and tirzepatide that may not be captured in clinical trials.
