Amazon announced Friday it now offers Novo Nordisk's Wegovy weight-loss pill through its digital pharmacy.Novo Nordisk began rolling out an oral version of its injectable obesity drug Wegovy in the U.S. on Monday, offering a starting dose for cash-paying patients at $149 per month. Patients with insurance coverage can get the pill for as low as $25 a month. The daily pill enters the market with some of the lowest cash prices in the booming obesity and diabetes drug space, which costly weekly injections from ...

Key Takeaways VKTX enrolled about 180 adults in a phase I maintenance study evaluating VK2735 after initial weight loss.VKTX is testing several SC and oral dosing regimens to assess safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics.VKTX is also evaluating VK2735 in two phase III studies, with obesity data from both studies expected in 2027.Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) announced that it has completed enrolling patients in its exploratory maintenance dosing study of VK2735, the company's dual agonist of the GLP-1 and G ...

Novo Nordisk has seen a 15.33% surge over the past month, outperforming the Medical sector and the S&P 500.The company is expected to announce an EPS of $0.9 and revenue of $12.11 billion in its upcoming earnings report.Novo Nordisk's stock has experienced significant volatility, with a 52-week high of $93.80 and a low of $43.08.Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) is a global healthcare company known for its leadership in diabetes care. The company also focuses on other serious chronic conditions such as obesity and ra ...

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Conference Call Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (NasdaqGS:ARWR) - **Focus**: Development of obesity therapeutics, specifically targeting the activin E ALK7 pathway and its implications for metabolic diseases Key Points from the Call Industry and Market Context - **Obesity Treatment Landscape**: The call highlighted the evolving understanding of obesity as a multifaceted disease requiring diverse treatment approaches, including pharmacotherapy, surgical options, and lifestyle changes [2][4][5] - **Unmet Needs**: There is a significant unmet need in treating obesity, particularly in patients with Type 2 diabetes, who often do not respond well to existing therapies [5][14][24] Clinical Trials and Results - **ARO-INHBE and ARO-ALK7**: The call presented interim results from Phase I and II studies of two obesity candidates, ARO-INHBE and ARO-ALK7, focusing on their efficacy and safety [2][3][30] - **Interim Results**: - ARO-INHBE demonstrated a mean maximal reduction of activin E by 85% at a 400 mg dose, leading to a 10% reduction in visceral fat and a 38% reduction in liver fat after a single dose [20][34] - In combination with tirzepatide, ARO-INHBE achieved a 9.4% weight loss in obese diabetic patients, compared to 4.8% with tirzepatide alone [25][35] - ARO-ALK7 showed an 88% mean reduction in ALK7 mRNA after a single dose, with a 14.1% placebo-adjusted reduction in visceral fat observed at week eight [32][36] Mechanism of Action - **Activin E ALK7 Pathway**: The pathway is implicated in regulating visceral adiposity, and silencing its expression may lead to improved metabolic outcomes [17][18][27] - **Combination Therapy**: The combination of ARO-INHBE with tirzepatide is seen as a promising approach to enhance weight loss and metabolic health in patients with obesity and Type 2 diabetes [24][35] Safety and Tolerability - **Safety Profile**: ARO-INHBE and ARO-ALK7 were reported to be well tolerated, with most treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) being mild and no significant adverse trends in laboratory values [27][33] Future Directions - **Next Steps**: Arrowhead plans to expand its studies, including increasing patient numbers and exploring combination therapies with other GLP-1 drugs [38][39] - **Regulatory Pathway**: Discussions regarding the regulatory pathway for ARO-INHBE and ARO-ALK7 are ongoing, with a focus on combination therapies for diabetic patients [51][52] Additional Insights - **Research and Development**: Arrowhead is exploring additional targets in obesity and metabolic disorders, including liver and adipose dimers capable of silencing multiple genes with a single drug [39][40] - **Commercialization Plans**: The company is transitioning to a commercial stage with its first sales expected in the FCS patient population, with further studies planned to support label expansion [40][41] Conclusion Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals is making significant strides in the development of innovative obesity therapeutics, with promising interim results from its clinical trials. The focus on the activin E ALK7 pathway and combination therapies positions the company well in addressing the unmet needs in obesity treatment, particularly for patients with Type 2 diabetes. The safety and efficacy data presented suggest a strong potential for these candidates in future therapeutic paradigms.

ARO-INHBE Clinical Data - ARO-INHBE achieved a mean maximum reduction of 85% in serum Activin E after a single 400 mg dose, with a maximum observed reduction of 94%[80, 147] - ARO-INHBE monotherapy reduced visceral fat by 9.9% after a single dose at week 16 and 15.6% after two doses at week 24[82, 85, 147] - In obese diabetic patients, ARO-INHBE combined with tirzepatide doubled weight loss compared to tirzepatide alone, showing a 9.4% weight loss at week 16 versus 4.8% with tirzepatide alone[103, 105, 147] - Combination therapy with ARO-INHBE and tirzepatide in obese diabetic patients resulted in a 23.2% reduction in visceral fat, a 15.4% reduction in total fat, and a 76.7% reduction in liver fat, approximately a 3-fold improvement compared to tirzepatide alone across these measures[106, 107, 148] ARO-ALK7 Clinical Data - ARO-ALK7 demonstrated a mean reduction of 88% in ALK7 mRNA, confirming the TRiM platform's ability to silence adipocyte gene expression, with a maximum reduction of 94%[135, 148] - ARO-ALK7 showed a rapid dose-dependent reduction in visceral fat of up to 14% (placebo-adjusted) after a single dose[137, 148] General Summary - Both ARO-INHBE and ARO-ALK7 demonstrated favorable safety profiles in their respective monotherapy and combination therapy trials[113, 139] - The company plans to initiate Phase 2b studies as soon as possible and expand the obesity pipeline with new targets, including dimers[151] - Arrowhead's growth drivers in 2026 and beyond include potential multi-billion-dollar opportunity from Phase 3 studies of plozasiran in severe hypertriglyceridemia, first clinical readout of ARO-DIMER-PA targeting PCSK9 and APOC3 in 2H 2026, and emerging CNS pipeline with systemic delivery via SC administration[155]

Key Takeaways NVO won FDA approval for oral Wegovy, the first GLP-1 RA pill for weight management and CV risk reduction.NVO's oral Wegovy matched injectable efficacy with similar safety and easier dosing that may boost adherence.First-mover oral launch could help NVO regain share from LLY and boost Wegovy sales after 2025 slowdown.Last month, Novo Nordisk (NVO) announced the FDA approval of the Wegovy pill (once-daily oral semaglutide 25 mg) to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction in the ...

Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (HALO), Monday announced a global collaboration and license agreement with Skye Bioscience, Inc. (SKYE) regarding development and commercialization of higher-dose, subcutaneous administration strategies for nimacimab.Under this agreement, Skye has licensed Halozyme's ENHANZE drug delivery , intending to expand the reach of this technology into the growing obesity market. Also, Skye intends to evaluate multiple dose-ranging strategies, including in combination with GLP-1 receptor ...

Core Insights - Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) is advancing its late-stage obesity candidate VK2735, a dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist, through multiple clinical studies for obesity treatment [1][2] Group 1: Clinical Development - VKTX is conducting two late-stage studies, VANQUISH-1 and VANQUISH-2, evaluating the SC version of VK2735 over a 78-week treatment period [2] - Enrollment in the VANQUISH-1 study has been completed with approximately 4,650 patients, exceeding the target of 4,500 patients, while nearly 1,100 patients are expected to be enrolled in VANQUISH-2 by the end of this quarter [3][11] Group 2: Market Dynamics - The rapid enrollment in VKTX's studies indicates strong demand for VK2735, reflecting high patient and physician enthusiasm, which could lead to significant commercial potential if the drug proves effective [4] - The obesity market in the U.S. is projected to reach $100 billion by 2030, with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk already generating substantial revenue from their obesity drugs [5] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Novo Nordisk has received FDA approval for the oral version of Wegovy, enhancing patient adherence due to its convenience, while Eli Lilly is pursuing approval for its oral candidate, orforglipron [6][7] - Both companies are investing in next-generation obesity therapies, with Eli Lilly developing retatrutide and Novo Nordisk advancing amycretin, indicating a competitive landscape that is evolving rapidly [8][9] Group 4: Financial Performance - VKTX shares have underperformed the industry over the past year, trading at a premium with a price-to-book value (P/B) ratio of 5.58 compared to the industry average of 3.61 [12][14] - Estimates for VKTX's loss per share for 2025 and 2026 have widened recently, indicating potential challenges ahead [16]

Core Insights - Amgen is developing MariTide, a late-stage obesity candidate, to compete with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk in the GLP-1 therapy market [1] - MariTide's long-acting profile allows for monthly or less frequent dosing, potentially improving patient adherence compared to weekly injectable options [2] - The drug is being evaluated in pivotal studies for obesity and other cardiometabolic conditions, with strong enrollment interest [3][4] Group 1: Product Development and Market Position - MariTide is part of Amgen's MARITIME phase III program, focusing on obesity and related cardiometabolic indications [1][3] - The drug has shown predictable and sustained weight loss in earlier studies, positioning it as a convenient long-term treatment option [2] - Enrollment for MARITIME-1 and MARITIME-2 studies has been completed with approximately 5,000 patients participating [3] Group 2: Competitive Landscape - Novo Nordisk has received FDA approval for an oral version of Wegovy, enhancing competition in the obesity treatment market [5] - Eli Lilly is also advancing its oral obesity candidate, orforglipron, with a potential launch next year [6] - Both market leaders continue to invest in next-generation therapies, indicating a robust competitive environment [7][8] Group 3: Financial Performance and Valuation - Amgen's shares have outperformed the industry year to date, reflecting positive market sentiment [9] - The company is trading at a P/E ratio of 15.20, which is below the industry average of 17.56, indicating a potential valuation opportunity [12] - EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 have increased in the past 60 days, suggesting positive growth expectations [14]

Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) may be flying under the radar, but it could soon become one of the most closely watched biotech stories heading into 2026. It is a high-risk, high-reward biotech company trying to build the next generation of obesity treatments. Over the past year, the company has made significant strides in advancing its lead obesity treatment, VK2735, while strengthening its clinical pipeline and positioning its balance sheet to support multiple future catalysts. Let’s find out if it is a goo ...