July 15, 2026 12:05 PM

Study flags need to monitor frailty risks with GLP-1 drugs for older adults

Potential signs of frailty in older adults taking Eli Lilly’s GLP-1 obesity drug Zepbound ​may signal relatively high risks for adverse outcomes, according to a large study that underscores concerns about how best to monitor seniors as U.S. Medicare expands access to ‌GLP-1 therapies. In general, frailty-associated conditions such as malnutrition, dehydration and loss of muscle mass and strength developed only rarely and the results should not discourage appropriate use of Zepbound, known...

February 19, 2025 4:45 PM

Fat, not muscle: drugmakers in race for next weight-loss breakthrough

Current weight-loss methods such as lifestyle changes, surgery, and popular therapies like Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound result in both fat and muscle loss that can increase the risk of falls and decrease overall strength, which could be especially harmful for older patients. The following companies are developing weight-loss treatments that help preserve or grow muscles while patients shed pounds: Eli Lilly The U.S. drugmaker spent nearly $2 billion in 2023 to acquire Versan...

December 2, 2024 4:30 PM

4 oral GLP-1R obesity drugs in race for approval, Novo Nordisk leads: report

Four oral glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) drugs, currently under Phase III trials, are in the race for approval, according to a report. This follows the immense popularity of injectable GLP-1R drugs, such as Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Saxenda, Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, and Shanghai Benemae Pharmaceutical’s Yishengtai, all of which have been approved for obesity. The report by GlobalData, a data and analytics company, showed that 63 drugs are in active development, with four Phase II...

July 11, 2024 7:32 PM

Pfizer moves forward with once-daily weight-loss pill

Pfizer plans to move a reworked, once-a-day version of its weight-loss pill danuglipron into clinical trials later this year, the company said on Thursday, after scrapping a twice- daily version of the drug late last year. The new drug is part of the second generation of weight-loss pills under development by companies including Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk that will offer patients a more convenient alternative to injections. Some analysts expect the weight-loss drug market, currently dominated ...

July 9, 2024 4:57 PM

Novo Nordisk shares down after analysis finds Lilly drug leads to better weight loss

Shares in Novo Nordisk, maker of the wildly popular obesity drug Wegovy were down 1.1% on Tuesday after the publication of a data analysis showing rival Eli Lilly's own treatment Mounjaro leads to faster and greater weight loss. The analysis was published on Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine, a medical journal. It examined health records and other data to assess the pace and percentage of weight loss for overweight and obese people taking tirzepatide - the active ingredient in Lilly's Mounjaro a...