Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Promising Injectable Alzheimer's Drug From J&J Fails In Mid-Stage Trial
Stat: J&J’s Novel Alzheimer’s Drug Posdinemab Fails In Key Trial
A promising Alzheimer’s disease treatment from Johnson & Johnson failed to slow the progress of the disease in a closely watched study, news that could dampen enthusiasm for a new class of potential medicines. (Garde and Mast, 11/24)
Stat: Novo Nordisk's Semaglutide Fails To Slow Alzheimer's Progression
Two trials testing the Novo Nordisk weight loss drug semaglutide in Alzheimer’s disease failed, the company said Monday, showing the medicine did not slow the progression of the condition versus placebo. (Joseph and Chen, 11/24)
More news about weight loss drugs —
Bloomberg: Ozempic And Other GLP-1s Are Now Being Marketed To People Who Aren't Obese
Weight-loss drugs are coming for a new kind of customer. “You don’t need to be obese to start a GLP-1,” reads an ad from a telehealth startup, the words scrawled in icing on a cake. Another one features a slender woman excited to lose a little weight before her wedding. Yet another says patients can drop 17 pounds in two months by microdosing copycat Ozempic. They’re part of a marketing blitz that’s ramped up in recent months, with ads plastered on billboards, in subway stations and online. (Nix and Muller, 11/24)
The Washington Post: Pregnancy Means Stopping GLP-1 Drugs, But That Presents Its Own Risks
People who stopped taking weight-loss drugs before or during pregnancy were associated with greater gestational weight gain and had a higher risk of preterm delivery and gestational diabetes compared with those who had not been prescribed the drugs before, according to a study published Monday in JAMA. (Malhi, 11/24)
MedPage Today: New Moms' GLP-1 Prescriptions Jumped After Wegovy Approval
Prescriptions for GLP-1 receptor agonists increased among postpartum women once semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) was approved for weight loss, a Danish epidemiological study found. In the first quarter of 2018, there were less than five postpartum GLP-1 prescriptions, but by the second quarter of 2022, the number rose to 34 per 10,000 and sharply increased to 173 per 10,000 in the second quarter of 2024, reported Mette Bliddal, PhD, of the University of Southern Denmark in Odense, and colleagues. (Robertson, 11/24)
MedPage Today: Cardiometabolic Gains Backslide After Halting Obesity Meds
Weight regain after the withdrawal of tirzepatide (Zepbound) may wipe out many of the cardiometabolic gains made during weight loss, a post-hoc analysis of the SURMOUNT-4 trial indicated. (Monaco, 11/24)
Other pharma and tech news —
MedPage Today: Abbott Reports 7 Deaths Linked To Glucose Sensor Problem
Abbott issued a medical device correction for some of its glucose sensors after internal testing found that some sensors may provide false low glucose readings. Hundreds of adverse events and seven deaths worldwide have been linked to the issue. The correction affects roughly 3 million FreeStyle Libre 3 and Libre 3 Plus sensors in the U.S. that were traced back to one particular production line. About half of these sensors are estimated to be expired or already used, according to the company's announcement. (Monaco, 11/24)
CIDRAP: Public Understanding Of Antibiotics Is Insufficient, Global Study Finds
Despite the global expansion of antibiotic awareness campaigns over the past decade, the public's understanding of antibiotics remains insufficient, researchers reported last week in Clinical Microbiology and Infection. (Dall, 11/24)
