President Trump announced that the U.S. government will provide GLP-1 drugs (weight-loss and diabetes medications) to Medicare patients. The statement signals potential government coverage expansion for these expensive medications.

• •Trump said the U.S. will provide GLP-1 drugs to Medicare patients
• •Announcement signals potential federal coverage expansion for GLP-1s

Novo Nordisk is lowering the advertised U.S. prices for Ozempic (a diabetes drug) and Wegovy (a weight-loss drug) by as much as 50%. This is the company's move to make these expensive medications more affordable for patients and insurers.

• •Novo Nordisk to cut US list prices for Ozempic and Wegovy by up to 50%
• •Move targets affordability for patients and insurers

A generic version of Novo Nordisk's GLP-1 drug has become available in Canada. Industry observers see this as an important test case for how generic GLP-1 drugs will compete with brand-name versions worldwide.

• •Generic of Novo Nordisk's GLP-1 drug has become available in Canada
• •Observers frame the launch as a test case for global generic GLP-1 competition

Novo Nordisk's oral version of Ozempic (semaglutide) is becoming available at pharmacies. The company is reporting earnings this week, and investors are watching closely to see how well the pill form performs.

• •Novo Nordisk's oral version of Ozempic (semaglutide) is reaching pharmacies
• •Novo Nordisk reports earnings this week
• •Investor focus is on early performance of the oral format

• •Novo Nordisk is rebranding its diabetes pill under the Ozempic name

Novo Nordisk is giving its diabetes pill a new name in the United States—it will now be called Ozempic, the same name as the company's popular injectable weight-loss drug. This name change helps patients and doctors recognize that both the pill and injection contain the same active ingredient (semaglutide) and work the same way.

• •Novo Nordisk rebranding its oral diabetes tablet as Ozempic in the US
• •Pill and injection share semaglutide as active ingredient

Novo Nordisk is preparing to launch an oral (pill) version of Ozempic, its semaglutide diabetes drug, in the United States. This expands the company's options beyond the injectable form already available to American patients.

• •Novo Nordisk is preparing a US launch of an oral version of Ozempic
• •Oral formulation uses semaglutide, same molecule as injectable Ozempic
• •Expands Novo's US options beyond the existing injectable form

Novo Nordisk has stopped selling Rybelsus, its oral semaglutide tablet, in the United States and is now calling semaglutide pills by the Ozempic brand name instead. This change makes the pill version match the name of the popular injection form.

• •Novo Nordisk has retired the Rybelsus brand in the US
• •Oral semaglutide will now be marketed under the Ozempic name
• •Move unifies pill and injection under a single brand

• •Novo Nordisk is rebranding its oral semaglutide diabetes pill under the Ozempic name

Eli Lilly's oral obesity pill reached nearly 6,000 prescriptions in its third week on the market. The early uptake suggests strong demand for a pill version of weight-loss treatment.

• •Lilly's oral obesity pill hit nearly 6,000 prescriptions in its third week post-launch

Eli Lilly raised its profit outlook for the year because demand for its weight-loss drugs is growing very fast, even though the company is facing pressure to lower prices. The strong sales are helping the company make more money overall despite competition and pricing challenges.

• •Eli Lilly raised its full-year profit forecast
• •Surging demand for weight-loss drugs cited as driver
• •Company is navigating pricing pressure

Eli Lilly says its new oral weight-loss pill Foundayo is off to a good start, but early signs suggest it may not be selling as well as Novo Nordisk's similar pill. Both companies are competing to win patients who want to take a weight-loss drug by mouth instead of injections.

• •Lilly described Foundayo's obesity launch as 'encouraging' in early days
• •Foundayo appears to be lagging Novo Nordisk's competing GLP-1 pill
• •Both companies targeting patients seeking oral alternatives to injectables

Eli Lilly's oral weight-loss pill Foundayo has been taken by more than 20,000 people, according to the company's CEO. The number suggests early uptake of Lilly's pill-based option in the competitive weight-loss drug market.

• •Lilly CEO says more than 20,000 people are taking Foundayo
• •Foundayo is Lilly's oral weight-loss pill

• •Lilly and Novo Nordisk shares dipped on the news
• •A proposed Medicare coverage pilot for GLP-1s has been thrown off balance

PwC removed weight-loss drugs from its employee health insurance coverage. The move signals employer caution about the cost and use of these medications for workers.

• •PwC removed weight-loss drugs from employee health insurance coverage
• •Move reflects employer concerns over cost of these medications

• •Amgen Q1 sales rose 4%
• •Company broadening weight-loss drug development

• •Eli Lilly investors seeking insight on early Foundayo launch data

Novo Nordisk and GoodRx announced a partnership to offer pricing discounts for patients who pay out-of-pocket for the new oral version of Ozempic (semaglutide). The deal aims to make the pill form of this weight-loss and diabetes drug more affordable for uninsured or underinsured customers.

• •Novo Nordisk and GoodRx partnered on self-pay pricing for oral Ozempic (semaglutide).
• •Deal targets uninsured or underinsured patients paying out-of-pocket.

Novo Nordisk rebranded its oral semaglutide pill Rybelsus under the Ozempic name, aligning the product with its popular injection brand. Amgen reduced the size of its drug development pipeline.

• •Novo Nordisk rebranded oral semaglutide Rybelsus under the Ozempic name
• •Rebrand aligns the pill with Novo's injection franchise
• •Amgen reduced the size of its drug development pipeline

Novo Nordisk's CEO discussed the U.S. approval path for an oral version of Wegovy (a weight-loss drug) while also addressing concerns that Middle East tensions could disrupt the company's supply chains. The comments highlight both regulatory hopes for a pill form and real-world risks to drug manufacturing and delivery.

• •Novo Nordisk CEO commented on U.S. approval path for an oral version of Wegovy
• •CEO addressed risk that Middle East tensions could disrupt supply chains

Eli Lilly rejected a recommendation from Australia's PBS (the agency that decides which medicines get government funding) about how to price and distribute Mounjaro in the country. The decision means negotiations over coverage and affordability for this tirzepatide weight-loss drug are still ongoing.

• •Eli Lilly rejected a PBS recommendation regarding Mounjaro in Australia.
• •PBS subsidy negotiations for tirzepatide remain unresolved.

• •Oral Ozempic US launch underway
• •Partnerships cited as factor in Novo Nordisk valuation

Amgen is marketing MariTide, its once-monthly weight-loss drug, as potentially the best option in its drug class. The company is positioning it to compete with other monthly weight-loss medications on the market.

• •Amgen positioning MariTide as potential 'best monthly' obesity drug
• •MariTide is dosed once monthly
• •Amgen targeting competition with other monthly weight-loss medications

Novo Nordisk is expanding its GLP-1 drug portfolio by developing an oral version of Ozempic (semaglutide) and pushing into pediatric use. These moves aim to reach more patients with weight-loss and diabetes treatments beyond the current injectable forms.

• •Novo Nordisk developing oral version of Ozempic (semaglutide)
• •Novo pushing GLP-1 portfolio into pediatric use
• •Expansion targets weight-loss and diabetes beyond injectables

• •Novo Nordisk announced a list price cut on its GLP-1.
• •Mercer published guidance on what plan sponsors should watch next.

GoodRx, a pharmacy discount platform, is now helping patients access oral semaglutide (the pill form of Ozempic). The move makes it easier for people to get this weight-loss and diabetes drug through a different delivery method than the popular injection.

• •GoodRx is enabling patient access to oral semaglutide, the pill form of Ozempic
• •Move expands availability beyond the injectable version

A Louisiana bill aims to let Medicaid (a health program for low-income people) cover three popular weight-loss drugs: Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. The change could make these expensive medications available to more people who need them but can't pay out-of-pocket.

• •Louisiana bill would expand Medicaid coverage to Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro
• •Targets access for low-income patients currently unable to afford the drugs

• •US could spend $1 trillion on medications
• •Weight-loss drugs lead US spending categories