And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda includes promenading with the official mascots, escorting Mrs. Pharmalot to a musical happening and visiting a new eatery. We also hope to have yet another listening party, where the rotation will include this, this, this, this and this. And what about you? This may be an opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors, perhaps a stroll by the seashore or a walk in the woods. A long drive in the country may be nice, although it will cost you. Or perhaps simple pleasures such as noshing on a pastry with a hot cup of stimulation will do. You could also catch up on your reading or reach out to someone special. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon…
A flood of cheap copies of Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster weight-loss drug in India is already reshaping the country’s fast-growing obesity medicine market, showing how quickly the patent cliff will affect GLP-1 makers like Eli Lilly, Bloomberg News explains. Within days of dozens of generics hitting the Indian market after Novo’s patent expired locally, the drug’s share in the country’s GLP-1 segment jumped to 33% in March from 25% a month earlier, according to researcher Pharmarack. That gain came at the expense of Lilly’s Mounjaro, which is still under patent protection in India and whose share fell to 64% from 71%. The data marks the first meaningful snapshot of how market dynamics will change for GLP-1 makers as their patents near expiry.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration withdrew approval of a GSK drug that the Trump administration had promoted as a treatment for autism, adding another twist to the unusual story of a decades-old drug, Bloomberg News informs us. The agency is pulling its approval of Wellcovorin, a branded version of leucovorin from GSK, according to a post in the Federal Register. GSK had requested that the approval be withdrawn. The FDA first approved leucovorin decades ago and it has been used to blunt the side effects of chemotherapy for some cancer patients. In September, Trump administration officials endorsed leucovorin as an autism treatment. Last month, the FDA approved its use for cerebral folate deficiency, which is seen in some people with autism.
