The Gut Punch Weekly #11
Novo slashes Wegovy price, Stanford discovers new appetite-supressing peptide, Telehealth companies pivot to hormone therapy treatments, and more!
Top Stories
1) Novo Slashes Wegovy Price to $499 Monthly
Novo Nordisk launched NovoCare, a direct-to-consumer program for Wegovy that reduces the drug's price from $1,349 per month to $499.
This move follows competitor Eli Lilly's LillyDirect program and aims to reclaim market share from compounding pharmacies.
The program is available for uninsured patients and those with commercial insurance that doesn't cover weight loss medications.
(Biospace)
2) Stanford Discovers BRP, an Appetite Suppressor Without Side Effects
Stanford researchers have identified a naturally occurring molecule, BRP, that rivals Ozempic in appetite suppression and weight loss, but without some of its side effects.
BRP appears to act specifically in the hypothalamus, potentially offering a more targeted approach to weight reduction compared to Ozempic's widespread effects.
The discovery was made possible by an AI algorithm called Peptide Predictor, which helped narrow down potential peptides from 20,000 human protein-coding genes to a manageable 373 prohormones.
(Stanford)
3) Americans Pay 11x More for Taxpayer-Funded Weight Drugs
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, developed with significant public funding, have become a $50 billion market.
US taxpayers invested an estimated $6 billion in research and development for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, yet Americans now pay up to 11 times more for these medications compared to other countries.
These high prices are inflating insurance premiums and potentially threatening the sustainability of the US healthcare system.
(Jacobin)
4) Telehealth Companies Combine GLP-1s with Hormone Treatments
The surge in online weight-loss drug providers is unexpectedly boosting demand for hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
The global HRT market is expected to grow from $21 billion in 2022 to $35 billion by 2030.
Companies like Noom and Midi have been offering both GLP-1 drugs and HRT, targeting women aged 40-60 who face menopause-induced weight gain.
While this trend offers convenience and potentially better outcomes for weight management and menopausal symptoms, it also shifts more responsibility to patients.
(Axios)
5) Ozempic Shows Promise as Anti-Aging Drug
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, initially approved for diabetes and weight loss, are showing potential benefits for age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers.
Researchers are exploring their use as 'gerotherapeutics' to target biological hallmarks of aging, including cardiovascular health.
While these drugs show promise in reducing inflammation and potentially improving healthspan, concerns exist about side effects like muscle loss, nausea, and increased heart rate.
(WSJ)
GLP-1 Industry Intel
CordenPharma Invests $540M in Swiss GLP-1 Facility: CordenPharma announced a €500 million investment in a new Swiss peptide manufacturing facility, part of a larger €1 billion three-year initiative to expand GLP-1 production across Europe and the US. €500 million investment in a new Swiss peptide manufacturing facility
Viking Secures $150M CordenPharma Deal for Obesity Drug: Viking Therapeutics has partnered in a $150 million deal with CordenPharma to manufacture both injectable and oral versions of its promising obesity drug VK2735.
Kailera Raises $400M for Obesity Treatments: Kailera Therapeutics launches with a $400M Series A financing to develop next-generation obesity treatments, including their lead program KAI-9531.
Teladoc Partners with LillyDirect for GLP-1 Weight Care: Through a new partnership with LillyDirect's pharmacy partner Gifthealth, Teladoc Health is expanding access to GLP-1 medications for members without insurance coverage.
LifeMD Partners with LillyDirect for Weight Loss Drug: LifeMD announces integration with LillyDirect's pharmacy provider to offer patients streamlined access to Zepbound.
Novo's New Weight Loss Drug Disappoints Investors: Novo Nordisk's stock dropped 8% after revealing its next-generation weight loss drug CagriSema showed only 15.7% weight loss efficacy.
Novo Joins Legal Battle Against GLP-1 Drug Compounders: Novo Nordisk has been granted permission to intervene in a lawsuit against GLP-1 compounders following the removal of Wegovy from the FDA's drug shortage list.
Digital Twin Tech Shows Promise in GLP-1 Cost Control: Employers like Dayforce are leveraging digital twin technology, which creates AI-powered metabolic replicas of users to manage healthcare costs and reduce dependence on expensive GLP-1 medications.
Food & Wellness Industry Intel
Kourtney Kardashian's Lemme Faces Lawsuit Over Weight Loss Claims: Kourtney Kardashian Barker's vitamin brand Lemme faces a class action lawsuit for allegedly misleading consumers by marketing citrus extract supplements as equivalent to popular GLP-1 weight-loss medications.
Food Companies Must Adapt to GLP-1 Revolution: GLP-1 weight loss drugs are expected to dramatically reshape food consumption patterns , with predictions suggesting a 10 trillion calorie reduction in U.S. food consumption by 2030.
75% of GLP-1 Users Spend Less After Starting Medication: Despite high out-of-pocket costs, 75% of GLP-1 medication users report significantly reduced monthly spending across lifestyle categories like dining out, alcohol, and groceries.
Sugar Reduction Trend Accelerates with GLP-1 Users: Food companies are reformulating products with alternative sweeteners and focusing on nutrient-dense, high-fiber options with no added sugars in response to the growing weight-loss market.
New Medical Food Promises Weight Loss Without Muscle Loss: Swedish health tech company Sigrid Therapeutics has developed a medical-grade liquid formula that promises weight loss benefits without the muscle mass reduction associated with GLP-1 drugs.
Frontline Focus
Healthcare System Strained Under Weight Loss Drug Demand: The soaring demand for GLP-1 medications – combined with their high costs, limited pharmacy access, and complex patient management needs – has created an unsustainable healthcare crisis that requires immediate systemic changes.
Insurance Coverage for GLP-1 Drugs Declines in 2025: Commercial insurance coverage for GLP-1 drugs has decreased in 2025 , with millions losing coverage for medications like Zepbound and Ozempic, though Wegovy showed slight improvements in accessibility.
Companies Balance GLP-1 Benefits Against Limited Healthcare Budgets: The rising popularity of GLP-1 medications is prompting employers to evaluate the balance between drug coverage and alternative wellness approaches for weight management.
Ozempic Costs Strain Pennsylvania Medicaid Budget: Pennsylvania's Medicaid program faces over $1 billion in new costs due to GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, prompting officials to consider stricter authorization requirements for obesity-related prescriptions.
North Carolina Health Plan Seeks $100M for Obesity Drug Coverage: North Carolina's State Health Plan is seeking to restore coverage of weight loss drugs like Wegovy for state workers with a BMI of 38 or higher and has requested $100 million in funding to cover approximately 14,000 employees.
Minnesota Weighs Insurance Coverage for Weight-Loss Drugs: Minnesota lawmakers are pushing for mandatory insurance coverage of expensive weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, though the proposal faces challenges due to high costs and limited scope.
Maryland Debates $225M Medicaid Obesity Drug Coverage: Maryland lawmakers are considering a bill to provide weight loss medications like Ozempic to Medicaid patients, but face resistance due to the estimated $225 million annual cost.
Side Effects Not Main Reason for GLP-1 Discontinuation: Real-world studies show 85% of patients stop taking GLP-1 drugs within two years due to factors including side effects, high costs, limited availability, and changes in physician or insurance arrangements.
Many Patients Using GLP-1s Without Doctor Knowledge: A KFF poll reveals that nearly 20% of people who've tried GLP-1s obtained their prescriptions from non-traditional sources like online providers or medical spas, raising concerns among primary care physicians.
Novo Nordisk Debuts 'My Ozempic Era' Campaign: With GLP-1 drug shortages now resolved, Novo Nordisk introduces a multichannel marketing campaign showcasing diverse patient stories to promote Ozempic for type 2 diabetes management.
GLP-1 Clinical Insights
GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs May Require Lifelong Use: Obesity treatment with GLP-1 agonists often requires lifelong commitment , though treatment strategies may need to be adapted based on factors like insurance, supply, side effects, or financial constraints.
GLP-1 Drug Access Shows Racial and Insurance Disparities: Research using OneFlorida+ data shows significant racial and socioeconomic disparities in access to newer anti‐obesity medications, with lower initiation rates among Black, Hispanic, Medicaid-insured, and uninsured populations.
Cardiologists Trail in Prescribing Key Diabetes Medications: A study of over 22,000 type 2 diabetes patients found that SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists were prescribed to less than one‐fifth of eligible patients with cardiovascular disease, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease.
GLP-1 Meds Associated With Lower Blood Cancer Rates: A study of over 1.6 million diabetes patients shows GLP-1 receptor agonists may help prevent blood cancers , particularly myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms.
Study Finds Multi-Target Obesity Treatment Most Effective: Scientists discovered that simultaneously targeting PPARα, CB1, and GLP-1 receptors through combination therapy was more successful at improving obesity‐related metabolic dysfunction than single‐target treatments.
Novel GLP-1 Companion Drug Targets Muscle Preservation: Northstrive Biosciences announces FDA pre-IND meeting for EL-22, a novel engineered probiotic therapy designed to preserve muscle mass during GLP-1-based obesity treatment.
The Bleeding Edge
Two-Fat Design Outperforms Semaglutide in Obesity Treatment: A new dual fatty acid-conjugated GLP-1 receptor agonist, TE-8105, shows enhanced therapeutic effects and longer duration of action compared to semaglutide, potentially offering improved treatment options for diabetes, obesity, and liver disease.
Novel Nanoparticle Method Improves GLP-1 Drug Delivery: Researchers developed a novel drug delivery system using nanoparticles modified with coumaric acid and chloroquine to enhance the oral absorption and therapeutic efficacy of semaglutide for treating type 2 diabetes.