and the obesity pill race. Mizuo healthcare strategist Jared Holtz joins us here on the set. You know, beyond just the patients being nauseous, investors are too today, down 42%.Is this it. I mean, are they done. Is Viking Therapeutics out of this race for the obesity pill.>> I don't think they're done. I mean, it's a it's a big setback for sure. It's going to come down to what the next trial looks like, what the dosing is, but this sort of discontinuation rate when you have monster companies that are ahead ...

Clinical Trial Results - Eli Lilly's experimental pill Orphon showed an 11% weight loss in patients [1] - Novo Nordisk's weight loss shot Wegovy led to a 15% body weight reduction in trials [2] - Eli Lilly's shot Zepbound demonstrated even better weight loss results than Wegovy [2] Market Expectations and Reactions - Wall Street anticipated Orphon to perform better, aligning with injectable drugs [1] - Investors showed a negative reaction to Orphon's results, indicated by a share price decrease [1] - Pills are considered crucial for expanding market reach, in a market projected to reach $95 billion by 2030 [3] Development and Approval - Eli Lilly plans to submit Orphon's findings for approval by the end of the year [4] - The daily weight loss pill could potentially be available in pharmacies as early as 2026, pending approval [4] - Pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and AstraZeneca have previously encountered setbacks in developing weight loss pills [3]

Pharmaceutical Development & Clinical Trials - Eli Lilly is preparing to submit a weight loss pill for FDA approval by the end of the year [1] - Phase 3 clinical trials showed meaningful body weight decrease and improvements in cholesterol and blood pressure [2] - In trials targeting overweight adults, participants on the highest dose lost up to 27 pounds (approximately 12247 grams) over 72 weeks [3] - One participant lost 40 pounds (approximately 18143 grams) during the trial and reported a reduction in "food noise" [3] - The weight loss pill is a GLP-1 medication, similar to Ompic and Zepbound [4] Market & Analyst Perspective - Trial results for the pill fell short of some analyst predictions, leading to a stock market price decrease for Eli Lilly [4] - Weight loss doctors believe the pill will be an important option for some patients, as not everyone needs to lose the same amount of weight [4][5] Pill Advantages & Production - The pill offers convenience compared to injections [5] - The pill may not have the same shortage problems as injections, as it doesn't require refrigeration, sterile filling of syringes, or an injection device [6] - Eli Lilly states it is already manufacturing the pill and has a stockpile to meet demand [6] - With FDA approval, Eli Lilly anticipates the pill could be available in pharmacies by next year [6]

The constant struggle between trying to lose weight and wanting to eat pizza ...

Core Insights - Amgen Inc announced full results from Part 1 of the Phase 2 study of MariTide, a long-acting peptide-antibody conjugate administered subcutaneously [1] Efficacy Results - In the Phase 2 study, MariTide demonstrated an average weight loss of approximately 20% in individuals with obesity without Type 2 diabetes (T2D), compared to 2.6% in the placebo group, and about 17% in individuals with obesity with T2D, compared to 1.4% in the placebo group [2] - Weight loss had not plateaued by 52 weeks, indicating potential for further reduction [2] - MariTide also showed a reduction in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of up to 2.2% in obese and T2D patients [3] - Improvements were noted in cardiometabolic measures, including waist circumference, blood pressure, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and select lipid parameters [4] Safety and Tolerability - No new safety signals were identified, and tolerability was consistent with the GLP-1 class, with gastrointestinal (GI) related adverse events being the most frequently reported, mostly mild to moderate [5] Study Progression - Complete results from the Phase 1 pharmacokinetics low dose initiation study were presented, showing an overall incidence of vomiting of 24.4% for one dose group and 22.5% for another, with no discontinuations due to GI adverse events [6][7] - The Phase 3 MARITIME program has been initiated, which is a 72-week chronic weight management study evaluating safety, efficacy, and tolerability in participants with obesity or overweight, with and without T2D [8] Future Studies - Amgen plans to initiate additional Phase 3 studies for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and obstructive sleep apnea in 2025 [9] Analyst Insights - Analysts express mixed views on the treatment policy estimand weight loss data, with some believing that reducing discontinuations through additional titration could yield Phase 3 results near 20% [9] - Questions remain regarding the potential for increased GI adverse events with expanded dosing intervals beyond every four weeks [10] Stock Performance - Following the announcement, Amgen's stock rose by 1.96% to $277.78 [10]

Core Insights - Scholar Rock's Phase 2 EMBRAZE trial results indicate that apitegromab combined with tirzepatide can significantly preserve lean mass during weight loss, with a notable reduction in lean mass loss compared to tirzepatide alone [1][2][3] Group 1: Trial Results - The trial showed that 30% of the weight loss from tirzepatide was attributed to lean mass loss, while the addition of apitegromab reduced this to 14.6% [3][4] - Patients receiving the apitegromab-tirzepatide combination lost 12.3% of their body weight, compared to 13.4% for those on tirzepatide with placebo [4] - The combination therapy resulted in a higher quality of weight loss, with patients losing 85% fat and 15% lean mass, compared to 70% fat and 30% lean mass in the placebo group [4] Group 2: Market Reaction - Following the positive trial results, Scholar Rock's stock price increased by 18%, reaching $36.77 [6]