The Gut Punch Weekly #19
Wegovy shows promise in treating liver disease, Novo secures preferred spot on CVS formulary, WHO endorses weight-loss drugs, and more!
Top Stories
1) Wegovy Shows Promise in Treating Liver Disease
A large clinical trial showed that semaglutide, the compound in Wegovy, could effectively treat metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a severe form of liver disease affecting nearly 15 million U.S. adults.
MASH is one of the most common reasons for liver transplants in the U.S., with fat buildup in the liver leading to inflammation, cell damage, and scarring.
Currently, there is only one FDA-approved medication for MASH treatment.
After 72 weeks, 63% of participants receiving semaglutide injections saw reduced liver fat and inflammation without worsening scarring, compared to 34% in the placebo group.
Additionally, 37% of those on semaglutide experienced reduced liver scarring.
Novo Nordisk has asked the FDA to approve Wegovy for treating MASH, while competitor Eli Lilly is also studying similar drugs for this condition.
(NYTimes)
2) Novo's Wegovy Secures Preferred Spot on CVS Formulary
Novo Nordisk's weight loss drug Wegovy will become the preferred GLP-1 for obesity treatment on CVS Caremark's largest commercial template formularies starting July 1, potentially giving it a major advantage over Eli Lilly's Zepbound.
This deal with the largest U.S. pharmacy benefit manager is expected to boost access to Wegovy for tens of millions of people, while Zepbound will be excluded from the standard list of covered drugs.
As part of the agreement, CVS will sell Wegovy for $499 to cash-paying customers at its over 9,000 U.S. locations, matching Novo's recently launched direct-to-consumer pricing initiative.
Novo Nordisk has also partnered with telehealth companies Hims & Hers, LifeMD, and Ro to offer Wegovy through its NovoCare online pharmacy, dramatically expanding access channels for patients seeking the popular weight loss medication.
3) WHO Endorses Weight-Loss Drugs, Addresses Global Access Issues
The World Health Organization (WHO) plans to officially endorse the use of weight-loss drugs to treat obesity in adults, marking a significant shift in its approach to addressing the obesity crisis.
WHO experts are considering including these drugs in the agency's essential medicines list, which could help make them more widely available in developing countries.
The WHO also expressed concerns about the long-term cost-effectiveness of these drugs and has suggested mechanisms like tiered pricing or pooled procurement to improve access in low- and middle-income countries, where approximately 70% of the world's obese population resides.
(Reuters)
GLP-1 Industry Intel
Novo Nordisk Struggles to Compete with Lilly's Obesity Drug: Despite new telehealth partnerships to expand Wegovy access, Novo Nordisk is losing ground to Eli Lilly's more effective Zepbound in the obesity drug market
FDA Considers Novo's Oral Wegovy for Weight-Loss Approval: The FDA has accepted Novo Nordisk's application for oral Wegovy, potentially making it the first FDA-approved GLP-1 weight-loss pill
CVS Drops Zepbound Coverage, Impacting Lilly's Market Share: Despite capturing over 53% of the U.S. market share and posting strong Q1 results, Eli Lilly faces pricing pressure after CVS dropped Zepbound coverage in favor of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy
Lilly Revenue Soars 45% on Weight Loss Drugs: Eli Lilly’s revenue surged 45% this quarter, driven by blockbuster sales of weight loss and diabetes drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Hims & Hers Execs Profited Before Weight-Loss Drug Ban: Hims & Hers executives sold $122.5 million in stock during the nine‐month period when company profits soared due to the sale of compounded weight‐loss drugs.
Lilly CEO Urges Trade Deals Over Tariffs for Pharma Growth: During Eli Lilly's Q1 earnings call, CEO Dave Ricks urged the Trump administration to pursue trade deals and tax reforms instead of tariffs to support US pharma industry growth.
Food & Wellness Industry Intel
GLP-1 Drugs Alter Food Preferences and Taste Perception: Research suggests that GLP-1 drugs may alter food preferences through both satiety mechanisms and direct effects on taste perception, leading many users to consume fewer calories and processed foods.
Yogurt Industry Booms Amid Health Trends and Rising Demand: U.S. yogurt sales have surged 110%, driven partly by GLP-1 users seeking nutritionally dense foods in smaller portions, prompting major expansions by brands like Danone and Chobani, with rising popularity signaling a booming demand.
CPG Brands Face Tariffs, Health Trends, and Ingredient Bans: CPG brands must adapt to rising tariffs, stricter additive bans, and shifting consumer preferences driven by GLP-1 drugs to stay competitive in a rapidly changing food industry landscape, as they struggle with compliance and innovation.
Gut Health and Affordability Lead 2025 Nutrition Trends: According to a new survey of registered dietitians, consumers in 2025 are increasingly focused on gut‐friendly superfoods, nutrition education, and affordable food options, which reflects a paradigm shift in dietary priorities.
Kraft Heinz Faces Unexpected Sales Decline Amidst Competition: Kraft Heinz reported a surprising 7% drop in North America sales, revealing weakness in core brands like macaroni and cheese as competition and evolving consumer tastes erode its market power.
Frontline Focus
Weight Loss Drug Ozempic Linked to Thousands of ER Visits: A new CDC study shows weight loss drugs containing semaglutide resulted in thousands of ER visits, mainly from gastrointestinal issues and unexpectedly frequent cases of low blood sugar.
GLP-1 Drugs Challenge Body Positivity Movement: The rise of GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic is fueling debate over access, stigma, and shifting beauty standards within the body positivity movement.
GLP-1 Drugs Causing Wrinkles in Mouth and Feet: Rapid weight loss from GLP-1 medications like Ozempic can cause 'Ozempic mouth' and 'Ozempic feet', leading to wrinkles and sagging skin due to loss of underlying tissue.
Medicaid Limits Access to Key Diabetes Medications: While access to diabetes medications has improved since 2020, particularly in fee‐for‐service plans, many Medicaid enrollees still face restricted availability of SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists which could hinder treatment outcomes.
Cigna Expands GLP-1 Support with Two New Programs: Cigna is launching two new GLP-1 support programs, EnReachRx and EnGuide Pharmacy, to improve clinical care and provide home delivery of weight‐loss medications while supporting cost management for payers.
GLP-1 Clinical Insights
Tirzepatide Enhances Muscle Composition in Type 2 Diabetes: Research from the University of Glasgow shows that while tirzepatide causes expected muscle volume decreases during weight loss, it may improve muscle composition by reducing fat infiltration in type 2 diabetes patients.
GLP-1 Drugs May Reduce AF Events in Obese Patients: A large Veterans Affairs study found that GLP-1 receptor agonists reduced atrial fibrillation-related events by 13% in obese patients, with even greater benefits in those with severe obesity.
The Bleeding Edge
Gut Microbe Offers Natural Alternative for Blood Sugar Control: Scientists found that increasing levels of the gut microbe Bacteroides vulgatus and its metabolites could naturally regulate blood sugar and sugar cravings by triggering GLP-1 and FGF21 hormone production.
Illumina, Ovation Launch 25,000 Patient GLP-1 Dataset: A collaboration between Illumina and Ovation.io aims to create the largest commercial clinical multiomic dataset from GLP-1 therapy patients to accelerate drug discovery.