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While the JAK inhibitor market for alopecia areata (AA) has grown increasingly crowded in recent years, Rinvoq’s clinical performance in the hair follicle-attacking autoimmune disease could earn AbbVie a prominent seat at the table. After 24 weeks of treatment, Rinvoq (upadacitinib) at two doses—15 mg and 30 mg—helped 44.6% and 54.3% of adult alopecia patients achieve 80% or more scalp hair coverage, respectively, in a phase 3 trial. That compared to just 3.4% of patients on placebo who achieved the same level of hair growth. Patients enrolled in the study entered at a baseline of roughly 16% scalp hair coverage, as determined by the severity of alopecia tool (SALT), AbbVie said in a July 30 press release. Meanwhile, across the same two Rinvoq doses, 36% and 47.1% of patients achieved 90% or more scalp hair coverage versus just 1.4% of patients in the trial’s control arm, AbbVie said. Rinvoq also met several secondary endpoints in the study by improving eyebrow and eyelash coverage and helping a certain percentage of patients on both doses achieve complete scalp hair coverage at the trial’s 24-week mark. "Often misunderstood as a cosmetic issue, AA is a systemic immune-mediated disease that can cause total hair loss, involving the scalp,...

Swiss pharmaceutical company Sandoz has announced plans to launch unbranded versions of weight-loss drugs in the Canadian market starting next year, with discounts of up to 70% compared to branded counterparts, coinciding with the expiration of patents. In an interview with the Financial Times, Richard Saynor, CEO of Sandoz, emphasized that this move aims to improve patient access to effective weight management treatments while also reducing healthcare system costs. The entry of generic drugs into the obesity treatment market is expected to significantly lower prices and expand treatment options.

German biotech firm BioNTech (22UAy.DE), opens new tab on Monday said that second-quarter revenues more than doubled to 261 million euros ($302 million), driven by higher revenues from its COVID-19 vaccine collaboration with Pfizer (PFE.N), opens new tab. The company's quarterly net loss came in at 387 million euros, an improvement over a net loss of 808 million in the year-earlier period, which at the time was burdened by provisions for a settlement with the U.S. National Institutes of Health over vaccine royalty payments. Lower operating expenses also helped reduce the second-quarter loss, it added. BioNTech reiterated its guidance for 2025 revenues of 1.7 billion to 2.2 billion euros, down from 2.75 billion last year. BioNTech in June agreed to acquire domestic peer CureVac (5CV.DE), opens new tab in a $1.25 billion share deal, boosting its work on new mRNA-based cancer treatments and quelling patent litigation brought by the takeover target. That was shortly after Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY.N), opens new tab agreed to pay up to $11.1 billion for rights to jointly develop BioNTech's next-generation cancer immunotherapy.

Online weight-loss company Noom said on Monday it would sell copies of Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO), opens new tab Wegovy at an introductory price of $119 for up to a quarter of the branded drug's standard dose, giving patients a less costly way to try the medication. After the first month, Noom's price for compounded semaglutide, the generic name for Wegovy, rises to $199 a month for a maximum 0.6-milligram dose, compared to the branded version's typical dose of 2.4 mg. The move presents more price pressure for brand-name manufacturers, who have been lowering prices to compete in the cash-pay market. Targeting the GLP-1 protein, weight-loss drugs slow digestion and make people feel fuller but often lead to gastrointestinal side effects. In clinical trials, they have resulted in people losing 15% to 20% of their body weight. Wegovy clinical trials did not evaluate doses as low as 0.6 mg. But research presented in May found a half dose of semaglutide was as effective in weight loss as the regular dose. Noom said its program's lower dose allows it to make the product more affordable and boosts adherence because smaller doses can mean fewer side effects. "Obviously with less medicine, there's less cost and we pass it...

Scientists have developed a powerful genetic test that predicts whether a child as young as five is likely to become obese as an adult. Using data from over five million people, the tool—called a polygenic risk score—outperforms previous methods by a wide margin. It opens the door to early, targeted interventions. While genetics isn’t destiny, those with high risk responded well to lifestyle changes—though they also rebounded quickly when interventions stopped. The score is a major leap, though it’s still more accurate for people of European ancestry than others. The Rising Tide of Obesity and a New Way to Predict It What if it were possible to stop obesity before it starts? According to the World Obesity Federation, more than half of the global population is expected to have overweight or obesity by 2035. Yet, current treatment options—such as changes in diet and exercise, surgery, or medications—are not always accessible or effective for everyone. Now, researchers have developed a genetic test using data from over five million people that can predict a person’s risk of becoming obese well before they reach adulthood. Known as a polygenic risk score (PGS), this test identifies children and teens who may be genetically predisposed to obesity....

Brazilian pharmaceutical company EMS on Friday said that local pharmacies will start selling its injector pens aimed at treating diabetes and obesity from August 4. The pens, made in Brazil, uses liraglutide as an active ingredient, like Saxenda, from Novo Nordisk, which has demonstrated consistent benefits in controlling blood glucose and weight, EMS said. Saxenda is part of the same class of medication as Nordisk’s popular Ozempic. A total of 100,000 Olire pens, for the treatment of obesity, and 50,000 Lirux pens, for the control of type 2 diabetes, will be available at select pharmacy chains in Brazil. The launch of both medications comes as Brazilian companies, including EMS and rival Hypera Pharma, gear up to launch semaglutide medications next year, as Ozempic’s patent in the country is expected to expire in March.

Moderna said on Thursday it would trim roughly 10% of its global workforce and have fewer than 5,000 employees by the end of the year, as the biotech accelerates its cost-cutting efforts amid declining sales of COVID-19 vaccines. The move, announced in an internal memo by CEO Stephane Bancel, is part of the company's previous plan to cut operating expenses by about $1.5 billion by 2027. "We've made significant progress by scaling down R&D as respiratory trials conclude, renegotiating supplier agreements, and reducing manufacturing costs," Bancel said in the memo. Moderna had said earlier this year it expects operating costs to be between $4.7 billion and $5 billion for 2027. The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotech has been banking on revenue from newer mRNA shots, including its experimental COVID-flu combination vaccine, to make up for falling sales of its COVID-19 shot and less-than-expected uptake of its respiratory syncytial virus vaccine. But investor concerns about the prospects of new shots and the changes in vaccine policy under U.S. Health Secretary and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have led to a more than 20% decline in Moderna's shares this year. The stock, which has lost more than 90% of its value since the pandemic-era highs, was trading about...

Eli Lilly said on Thursday that its newer diabetes drug Mounjaro outperformed Trulicity, its previously top-selling medication for the disease, in reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke in a large, head-to-head study. In the Lilly-funded trial of more than 13,000 patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk, Mounjaro reduced the risk of major adverse heart events by 8% more than Trulicity, the Indianapolis-based drugmaker said. The risk of death from any cause was 16% lower for Mounjaro patients than for those taking Trulicity, though researchers are still studying the data to understand what is behind the difference. Mounjaro achieved the main goal of the trial, which was non-inferiority versus Trulicity for heart protection, the company said, adding that it also led to greater blood sugar control and weight loss. Lilly shares dipped 0.5% in early trading. BMO analyst Evan Seigerman said in a note that although the trial results showcased Mounjaro’s strengths, a significant contingent of investors had been betting it would show clear superiority. Stanford cardiologist Dr. Chad Weldy said the new data may prompt him to recommend switching from Trulicity to Mounjaro, at least for patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity or heart issues. Still, he emphasized...

-Eisai and Biogen's Alzheimer's drug Leqembi continued to slow progress of the disease with no new safety issues four years into treatment, according to new data presented at a medical meeting on Wednesday. An injectable version of the drug, currently given by intravenous infusion, is under U.S. regulatory review. In a pivotal trial of patients with early-stage Alzheimer's, Leqembi was shown to slow cognitive decline by 27% compared to a placebo after 18 months - data that supported the drug's U.S. approval in 2023. The companies continued to follow about 95% of patients enrolled in that trial. The latest results show that after four years, Leqembi slowed cognitive decline by 34% compared to what would be expected in similar patients who did not receive treatment. Leqembi targets protofibrils - toxic building blocks that eventually form clumps in the brain known as amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. There were no new safety findings over the four-year period. Brain swelling and bleeding associated with drugs that work by removing amyloid plaque from the brain largely occurred within the first six months of treatment, according to data presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Toronto. He said the new formulation "will be very helpful to...

AstraZeneca (AZN.L), opens new tab beat second-quarter earnings expectations on Tuesday, helped by strong sales of key cancer, heart and kidney disease drugs, but maintained its full-year forecast as pricing pressures and global trade risks remain challenges. The company hopes to move on from scandals in China, after indicating that any impact from probes in its second-biggest market would be minor, and focus on growing its U.S. footprint and drug pipeline to reach $80 billion in annual revenue by 2030. AstraZeneca said last week it plans to spend $50 billion to expand manufacturing and research capabilities in the United States by 2030, the latest drugmaker to ramp up investments in the country in response to President Donald Trump's tariff threat. The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker is counting on a wave of expected launches of 20 new medicines and its U.S. expansion to reach its $80 billion annual revenue target by the end of this decade. AstraZeneca, the UK's largest listed company by market value, reported revenue growth of 11% to $14.46 billion for the three-month period ended June at constant currency rates, with core earnings of $2.17 per share. "Our strong momentum in revenue growth continued through the first half of the year and the delivery...