The need-to-know this morning
- Kodiak Sciences announced that Zenkuda, an experimental therapy designed to preserve vision in a leading cause of age-related blindness, demonstrated statistical equivalence to the standard treatment Eylea during a Phase 3 clinical trial.
- Merck announced a $400 million upfront payment to China’s SciBrunch Therapeutics for global licensing rights to a preclinical cancer drug targeting KRAS G12D mutations. The total deal value could reach $2.13 billion upon achieving future milestones.
Novo turns GLP-1 drugs into consumer products
Novo Nordisk is shifting its strategy to market GLP-1 medications less as treatments for chronic conditions and more as consumer products aimed at individuals seeking weight loss, according to STAT’s Elaine Chen. This pivot occurs as insurance coverage for obesity medications remains restricted.
Also Read
- Steering AI Governance in Healthcare: The Hospital-Payer Crossroads
- STAT+: Once described as obesity medicines for ‘patients,’ GLP-1s are increasingly lifestyle drugs for ‘customers’
- Parliament Heard the Cry: UK Palliative Care Is Failing — Now Ministers Must Act
- Echoes of the Week: Expert Insights on AI, Diagnostics, and Health Policy


