Latest news with #CagriSema
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Novo Nordisk Just Improved Its Weight-Management Pipeline: Is the Stock a Buy?
Novo Nordisk has been actively pursuing licensing deals over the past six months. These have helped the company improve its pipeline in its most important area. There are other good reasons to consider investing in Novo Nordisk right now. 10 stocks we like better than Novo Nordisk › It wasn't so long ago that Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO), a Denmark-based pharmaceutical company, seemed to be firing on all cylinders. However, the past year has been challenging for the drugmaker. One reason behind its poor performance over the trailing-12-month period is that it has encountered clinical setbacks. CagriSema, an investigational weight loss medicine, performed well in phase 3 studies, but not quite as well as management had promised. Elsewhere, Novo Nordisk's biggest rival in this area, Eli Lilly, has registered significant clinical wins that arguably put it ahead in this fast-growing market. Still, Novo Nordisk hasn't said its last word yet. The company has recently made significant moves to strengthen its anti-obesity pipeline. Should investors buy the stock following these developments? On June 11, Deep Apple Therapeutics, a privately held biotech company, announced a licensing deal with Novo Nordisk. The former will utilize its proprietary platform, which leverages a virtual library powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to identify promising compounds rapidly. Deep Apple will aim to optimize novel compounds for obesity and other related diseases, and will receive up to $812 million, including an up-front payment and milestones for clinical and regulatory achievements. While it's too early to celebrate this deal -- it's still brand-new and hasn't led to any significant wins yet -- it's worth pointing out that Novo Nordisk has penned several such agreements since the CagriSema setback. One of the more promising of these agreements was with United Biotechnology, a subsidiary of the China-based company United Laboratories International Holdings. Novo Nordisk dished out an up-front payment of $200 million (not to mention potential milestone payments of up to $1.8 billion) to acquire UBT251, a triple agonist -- that is, a medicine that mimics the action of three separate gut hormones: GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon. Eli Lilly's Zepbound is the first and only approved dual GLP-1/GIP agonist, and Lilly is also working on its own triple agonist. So, with this acquisition, Novo Nordisk is trying to catch up to its longtime competitor. This move, along with others, has helped expand Novo Nordisk's weight-management pipeline. Could that help the stock bounce back? In my view, Novo Nordisk's stock is attractive regardless of its recent shopping spree. Here's one reason. Its forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 19.6 at this writing, while the average for the healthcare industry is 16.2. Though that means Novo Nordisk is trading at a premium compared to its peers, its financial results justify that difference. In the first quarter, the company's net sales jumped 19% year over year to 78.1 billion Danish kroner ($12.1 billion), while its earnings per share rose by 15% to 6.53 DKK ($1). Revenue and earnings growth in that range is above what's considered "good" for a pharmaceutical company, especially one of this size. Perhaps Novo Nordisk was due for a sell-off -- its forward P/E looked extremely high a year ago. However, at current levels, shares now appear far more attractive, given the company's strong financial results. And when we take into account its pipeline and the recent deals it's made, Novo Nordisk looks even more promising -- the weight-management market is on an incredible growth path. Other than Eli Lilly, no company should seriously challenge Novo Nordisk anytime soon. In addition to its licensing deals, the Denmark-based drugmaker has promising, internally developed candidates. Novo Nordisk has just announced that it will start phase 3 studies for amycretin, an investigational weight loss product with both oral and subcutaneous formulations; this product delivered encouraging results in early-stage studies. Meanwhile, the company asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve an oral formulation of semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy). In addition to its core area of expertise, Novo Nordisk has made a point of developing medicines in other fields, and has several promising candidates across various diseases. For all these reasons the stock looks like a buy at current levels, despite the challenges the company has faced in the past year. Before you buy stock in Novo Nordisk, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Novo Nordisk wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $660,821!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $886,880!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 791% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 174% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 Prosper Junior Bakiny has positions in Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool recommends Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Novo Nordisk Just Improved Its Weight-Management Pipeline: Is the Stock a Buy? was originally published by The Motley Fool
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
An experimental obesity drug shows promise in early trials
An experimental weight-loss drug from Eli Lilly & Co. helped patients lose weight with few side effects, according to the summary of a small study that suggests the company has another foothold in the obesity market. The drug, called eloralintide, helped some patients lose more than 11% of their body weight in three months, according to an abstract posted Friday ahead of the American Diabetes Assn. conference in Chicago. The drug is moving to the next stage of development and researchers will present details on dosing and safety at the conference next week. 'The data look particularly strong, and should push the program back into investor conversations,' Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Prakhar Agrawal wrote in a note to investors. Lilly has shared few details about eloralintide before now, because it's still in the early stages of testing. It's part of a class of drugs that mimic the hormone amylin, which slows digestion and makes people feel full longer. They're thought to be a gentler option for losing weight than currently available injections like Zepbound and Wegovy, which often have side effects like nausea and vomiting. The study enrolled 100 patients who were given different doses of the experimental drug or a placebo for 12 weeks. Weight loss ranged from 2.6% to 11.3%, according to the abstract. Gastrointestinal side effects were relatively minimal, with about 10% of patients experiencing diarrhea and 8% vomiting. Few details were provided, however, including information on risks and benefits based on dose. The promise of drugs that are easier to take than blockbusters like Lilly's Zepbound and its rival Wegovy, from Novo Nordisk A/S, has drawn increasing interest from companies hoping for a piece of pharma's hottest market. In March, Roche Holding AG entered into a $5.3-billion deal to co-develop and commercialize Zealand Pharma A/S' amylin drug, called petrelintide. It is seen as the one to beat in the amylin class, with early trials showing patients lost as much as 8.6% of their body weight in four months, with less nausea than Lilly and Novo's current therapies. AbbVie Inc. agreed to pay as much as $2.2 billion in March for an amylin drug from Danish biotech Gubra A/S, marking its first foray into the obesity market. New York-based startup Metsera Inc. is developing a related compound that may be taken less frequently than weekly shots like Zepbound and Wegovy. Lilly is already a leader in the obesity market, where Zepbound is capturing the majority of new prescriptions. The company has several promising next-generation products in the late stages of development, including a pill called orforglipron and an experimental shot that's thought to be even more effective for weight loss. The company is studying eloralintide alone and in combination with Zepbound — similar to the approach Novo is taking with its next-generation drug CagriSema, which combines an amylin component with semaglutide, the backbone of Wegovy and the diabetes drug Ozempic. Muller writes for Bloomberg.
Miami Herald
14-06-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
Lilly's experimental obesity drug shows promise in early study
An experimental weight-loss drug from Eli Lilly & Co. helped patients lose weight with few side effects, according to the summary of a small study that suggests the company has another foothold in the obesity market. The drug, called eloralintide, helped some patients lose more than 11% of their body weight in three months, according to an abstract posted Friday ahead of the American Diabetes Association conference in Chicago. The drug is moving to the next stage of development and researchers will present details on dosing and safety at the conference next week. "The data look particularly strong, and should push the program back into investor conversations," Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Prakhar Agrawal wrote in a note to investors. Lilly has shared few details about eloralintide before now, as it's still in the early stages of testing. It's part of a class of drugs that mimic the hormone amylin, which slows digestion and makes people feel full longer. They're thought to be a gentler option for losing weight than currently available injections like Zepbound and Wegovy, which often have side effects like nausea and vomiting. The study enrolled 100 patients who were given different doses of the experimental drug or a placebo for 12 weeks. Weight loss ranged from 2.6% to 11.3%, according to the abstract. Gastrointestinal side effects were relatively minimal, with about 10% of patients experiencing diarrhea and 8% vomiting. Few details were provided, however, including information on risks and benefits based on dose. The promise of drugs that are easier to take than blockbusters like Lilly's Zepbound and its rival Wegovy, from Novo Nordisk A/S, has drawn increasing interest from companies hoping for a piece of pharma's hottest market. In March, Roche Holding AG entered into a $5.3 billion deal to co-develop and commercialize Zealand Pharma A/S' amylin drug, called petrelintide. It is seen as the one to beat in the amylin class, with early trials showing patients lost as much as 8.6% of their body weight in four months, with less nausea than Lilly and Novo's current therapies. AbbVie Inc. agreed to pay as much as $2.2 billion in March for an amylin drug from Danish biotech Gubra A/S, marking its first foray into the obesity market. New York-based startup Metsera Inc. is developing a related compound that may be taken less frequently than weekly shots like Zepbound and Wegovy. Lilly is already a leader in the obesity market, where Zepbound is capturing the majority of new prescriptions. The company has several promising next-generation products in the late stages of development, including a pill called orforglipron and an experimental shot that's thought to be even more effective for weight loss. The company is studying eloralintide alone and in combination with Zepbound - similar to the approach Novo is taking with its next-generation drug CagriSema, which combines an amylin component with semaglutide, the backbone of Wegovy and the diabetes drug Ozempic. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NVO Stock up on Plans to Advance Obesity Candidate Amycretin
Novo Nordisk NVO announced plans to advance amycretin, for weight management, into late-stage development. Amycretin is being developed for subcutaneous and oral administration. Shares of this Denmark-based company gained 2.95% on June 12, following the announcement. Oral amycretin is a novel, unimolecular co-agonist of both GLP-1 and amylin receptors being developed by Novo Nordisk to provide an efficacious and convenient treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes in adults. NVO decided to advance the candidate into phase III based on feedback received from regulatory authorities following end-of-phase II interactions for subcutaneous and oral amycretin in weight management. A phase I study evaluated the single-ascending dose and multiple-ascending doses for oral amycretin, up to 2 times 50 mg, in people with overweight or obesity, with a total treatment duration of up to 12 weeks. A phase Ib/IIa study investigated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and proof-of-concept of once-weekly subcutaneous amycretin in people with overweight or obesity. The trial was a combined single ascending dose, multiple ascending dose and dose-response trial investigating three different maintenance doses with a total treatment duration of up to 36 weeks. The phase III program on amycretin is planned to be initiated during the first quarter of 2026. Buoyed by the stupendous success of its blockbuster semaglutide products, Wegovy (obesity) and Ozempic (diabetes), NVO is now developing several next-generation candidates in its pipeline, especially targeting the lucrative U.S. market. CagriSema, a fixed-dose combination of a long-acting amylin analogue and Wegovy, is the most advanced candidate in Novo Nordisk's obesity pipeline. Novo Nordisk will present full results from the phase III REDEFINE 1 and 2 studies on CagriSema shortly. Management stated that the REDEFINE 1 and 2 studies will provide insights into the transformational potential of CagriSema. The FDA accepted Novo Nordisk's regulatory application, seeking the approval of oral semaglutide 25 mg for obesity, for review. A final decision from the regulatory body is expected around the turn of the year. Year to date, Novo Nordisk's shares have lost 4.7% against the industry's growth of 2.9%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The stock price was under pressure at the start of the year due to recent market challenges. Stiff competition in the obesity market from its arch-rival, Eli Lilly LLY, along with pipeline and regulatory setbacks, weighed on the share price. We note that NVO's semaglutide drugs have only been off the FDA's supply shortage list since February 2025. Eli Lilly markets its tirzepatide medicines as Mounjaro for T2D and Zepbound for obesity. Like NVO, LLY is also evaluating several next-generation weight loss candidates. LLY, too, has achieved stupendous success for its obesity drugs. Nonetheless, NVO stock has witnessed some recovery this week. Novo Nordisk gained 5% on June 10, following a report that activist hedge fund Parvus Asset Management is building a stake in the company. Per the Financial Times, this London-based hedge fund is raising its stake in NVO to influence the appointment of the company's new chief executive officer (CEO). Last month, shares of the company dipped after it announced that CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen would step down from his position following a mutual agreement with the company's board. Novo Nordisk currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A couple of better-ranked large-cap pharma stocks are Novartis NVS and Bayer BAYRY, both carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Novartis' 2025 earnings per share (EPS) has risen from $8.46 to $8.74 over the past 60 days. EPS estimates for 2026 have jumped 35 cents to $9.02 during this timeframe. The stock has risen 27% so far this year. BAYRY's 2025 EPS estimate has increased from $1.19 to $1.25 for 2025 over the past 60 days, while that for 2026 has gone up from $1.28 to $1.31 over the same timeframe. Year to date, shares of Bayer have surged 65.1%. BAYRY's earnings beat estimates in one of the trailing four quarters, matched twice and missed on the remaining occasion, the average negative surprise being 13.91%. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Novartis AG (NVS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Bayer Aktiengesellschaft (BAYRY) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Novo Nordisk ramps up obesity fight, advances amycretin to Phase III
Novo Nordisk is progressing both subcutaneous and oral versions of amycretin into Phase III trials for patients with obesity and who are overweight. Following a positive end-of-Phase II meeting, Novo Nordisk shared that regulatory authorities have approved the therapy to proceed. The company plans to initiate the trial in adults who are overweight or with obesity in Q1 2026. Executive vice president for development at Novo Nordisk, Martin Lange said: 'We are very pleased that the feedback from regulatory authorities has allowed us to take subcutaneous and oral amycretin in weight management to Phase III. We are excited about the amycretin molecule, and this marks an important step forward. We look forward to sharing more information on the design of the Phase III programme.' In a Phase Ib/IIa study (NCT06064006), amycretin, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and amylin receptor co-agonist, showed weight-loss outcomes of up to 22% in 36 weeks. This was higher than seen by the company's blockbuster therapy Wegovy (semaglutide), which demonstrated a body weight change of 14% at week 36 in a Phase II study. The Phase Ia/IIb study investigated three doses of once-weekly subcutaneous amycretin in 125 patients who are overweight or with obesity. The primary endpoint was treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), with Novo Nordisk reporting that the most common events were gastrointestinal, and the majority were mild to moderate in severity. If successful in a Phase III trial, GlobalData anticipates that amycretin will receive approval for adults with overweight or obesity in Q4 2030 in the US, followed by approval in the EU in Q1 2031. GlobalData is the parent company of Clinical Trials Arena. Novo Nordisk has signed a $812m partnership with Deep Apple Therapeutics to access novel compounds, not GLP-1RAs, for obesity and other diseases. As well as this, the company has also listed two new studies for CagriSema, another candidate in its pipeline. The company recently announced underwhelming data from a Phase III trial, which, while meeting its primary endpoint, fell short of the 25% weight loss promise. Following all these updates, Novo Nordisk's share price has now increased, making it the most valuable company in Europe once again. It has a market cap of $359.28bn compared to German software company SAP at $359bn. Novo Nordisk's flagship semaglutide, marketed as Wegovy in weight loss and Ozempic in type 2 diabetes, is forecast to make $49bn in sales in 2030, according to GlobalData. Its main competitor, Eli Lilly's tirzepatide, marketed as Zepbound in weight loss and Mounjaro in type 2 diabetes, is projected to reach sales of $60.8bn. Lilly's drug proved to have higher efficacy than Novo Nordisk's in a head-to-head study between the pair. "Novo Nordisk ramps up obesity fight, advances amycretin to Phase III" was originally created and published by Clinical Trials Arena, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
