GLP-1 Drugs Cut Risk of Alzheimer's, NVO & LLY Shares Rise

Core Insights - The stock prices of Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Eli Lilly (LLY) increased by 3% and 2.3% respectively following a study indicating that GLP-1 drugs reduce the risk of various heart conditions, kidney diseases, and brain ailments [1][2] Group 1: Study Findings - A large study involving nearly two million diabetes patients published in Nature Medicine revealed that GLP-1 drugs are linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease, with specific reductions in psychotic disorders by 18%, Alzheimer's disease by 12%, and addiction disorders by an average of 13% [2][3] - The study corroborated earlier findings from a one-year study of semaglutide, which indicated benefits such as lowering the risk of cognitive problems and nicotine misuse, with no associated risk of adverse neuropsychiatric outcomes compared to other antidiabetic medications [5] Group 2: Product Information - Novo Nordisk's semaglutide is marketed as Ozempic and Rybelsus for type II diabetes and Wegovy for weight management, while Eli Lilly's tirzepatide is marketed as Mounjaro for type II diabetes and Zepbound for obesity [4] - Both companies have experienced significant stock declines over the past three months, with Novo Nordisk down 30% and Eli Lilly down 17.8%, compared to a 16.4% decline in the industry [4] Group 3: Regulatory Developments - Novo Nordisk's Wegovy is approved in the U.S. and EU for reducing major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with obesity and established cardiovascular disease, with plans to expand indications to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) [10] - Eli Lilly's Zepbound received FDA approval for treating moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity, making it the first prescription drug approved for this indication [11] Group 4: Market Competition - Companies like Amgen and Viking Therapeutics are advancing in the development of novel GLP-1-based candidates for obesity, which could pose competition to existing products like Mounjaro/Zepbound and Ozempic/Wegovy [13][15] - Amgen's MariTide showed approximately 20% average weight loss over 52 weeks in a phase II study, indicating strong potential competition in the obesity market [14]