Latest news with #Jardiance
Nikkei Asia
20-06-2025
- Business
- Nikkei Asia
German drugmaker Boehringer eyes Japan as Asia hub with $346m investment
TOKYO -- German drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim plans to invest a total of 300 million euros ($346 million) in its plant in Japan from 2023 to 2028 as it moves to make the facility a production base for Asia and Oceania. The plant, in the country's northeastern prefecture of Yamagata, currently produces the diabetes and kidney disease treatment drug Jardiance, mainly for the domestic market.
Mint
12-06-2025
- Health
- Mint
These diabetes drugs are finding new life as an antiaging hack
Some health-obsessed Americans believe the next antiaging therapeutic already exists—in the medicine cabinets of millions of diabetes patients. The widely used class of drugs, called SGLT2 inhibitors and sold under brand names such as Jardiance and Farxiga, have been on the market for over a decade as Type 2 diabetes medications. They have also gained regulatory approval to treat conditions like heart failure and kidney disease. Recently, though, the drugs have emerged as a hot topic on popular health podcasts and Reddit forums for longevity enthusiasts, many of whom don't suffer from any of those conditions. Instead, they are adding SGLT2 inhibitors to a roster of hacks they hope will help them live healthier for longer—or in other words, increase their healthspan. The drugs work by helping the kidneys release extra glucose from the body through urine, improving blood-sugar levels. While there are no studies of whether they can extend the lives of healthy humans, a growing body of evidence shows they help protect against multiple age-related diseases and reduce mortality rates for patients with certain chronic conditions. Some researchers believe they may also affect the fundamental biology of aging. 'This is probably the drug class of our era," says Dr. Timothy Gong, section physician leader for heart failure and transplant cardiology at Baylor University Medical Center, who has researched SGLT2 inhibitors. 'You see cardiologists, nephrologists, endocrinologists, even general internists as well, just getting so excited." Gong says he wouldn't be surprised to take an SGLT2 inhibitor one day, once they are studied more, though he's free from heart issues and diabetes. Yet it's too early to prescribe it for longevity benefits in otherwise healthy patients. 'I don't think that the evidence is strong enough yet for us to be able to say that," he says. Right now, use of SGLT2 inhibitors for potential antiaging benefits is limited mostly to a growing community of so-called biohackers, who seek to optimize their health through experimentation with gadgets, behaviors and various medicines and supplements. Because most take it off-label—meaning, for a nonapproved use—the drugs typically aren't covered by insurance and can cost hundreds of dollars a month out of pocket. Dave Aiello, a Boston chiropractor who doesn't have diabetes, began experimenting with the drugs after learning about a promising study in mice. The 38-year-old wanted to get ahead of health problems but was disenchanted by what he saw as a reactive approach to disease in conventional medicine. 'I'm trying to see if I can just stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible," says Aiello, who has been taking an SGLT2 inhibitor called empagliflozin since 2022. He also takes the kidney-transplant drug rapamycin off-label and has previously taken the diabetes pill metformin—both of which have gained traction as potential longevity boosters, too. He was particularly impressed by research showing SGLT2 inhibitors can help the body manage blood sugar more efficiently, which in turn supports cardiometabolic health. He says he's encouraged by the results so far: Between 2022 and 2024, Aiello's hemoglobin A1C, a measure of average blood sugar, fell to 4.6% from 5.1%, his laboratory test results show. The drugs aren't free of potential side effects, including increased risk of urinary-tract infections, dehydration, and in rare cases, severe genital infections and a life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. When Aiello first started taking empagliflozin, he felt dehydrated and experienced fatigue and brain fog. Those side effects have subsided since he decreased his dose and has made sure to take in more electrolytes. 'I'm a little more willing to take some risks that could potentially affect me in the short term if I do think that there might be a benefit," Aiello says. It isn't clear precisely how SGLT2 inhibitors might protect against the ravages of aging, but the research in mice offers clues. In 2020, a National Institute on Aging-funded study found that one SGLT2 inhibitor called canagliflozin extended the lives of male—but not female—mice by 14%. One theory is that the drugs help slow the aging process partly by blunting blood-sugar spikes. Scientists say that by driving insulin levels down, these drugs promote fat burning and create an anti-inflammatory effect that mimics calorie restriction, which studies suggest can slow the pace of aging. Still, many drugs that work in mice don't work in humans, says Richard A. Miller, who led the study and is director of the Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research at the University of Michigan. His lab is now studying how the small molecules inside slow-aging mice change over time. If a drug in humans produces these same metabolomic shifts seen in slow-aging mice, he says, it would provide more confidence that it could slow aging in people. 'We still have a lot of work to do to prove that the drugs do the same thing in people," says Miller. 'The hint here is that it's actually slowing the aging rate." Alan Vuong, who works in sales in Austin, Texas, started taking the SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin this year after hearing a podcast interview with Miller. The 34-year-old has a family history of Type 2 diabetes and wanted to lower his fasting insulin level, a measure of metabolic health, from normal to optimal. He spends about $150 a month on his longevity protocol, which includes a dozen drugs and supplements, and has seen his insulin levels drop since starting the medication. Other than having to use the bathroom in the middle of the night more often, a known side effect of the drugs, Vuong hasn't noticed other physical side effects. 'My end goal is to extend lifespan, but more importantly, healthspan," he says. 'I'm willing to take that gamble."
Chicago Tribune
02-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
AbbVie partners with Chicago Cubs to fund cancer research; ‘We aim to create greater awareness for cancer advocacy'
AbbVie may be known to many people for its medicines like Jardiance, Rinvoq and Skyrizzi, through their television commercials, but in laboratories in a building on its 70-acre North Chicago campus a group of scientists is on the cutting edge of cancer treatment. Though there is an emphasis on blood cancers, Andy Souers, AbbVie's vice president heading oncology discovery research, said the scientists are also trying to find treatments that work for ovarian, lung and colorectal cancers, among others. Working meticulously over sometimes long periods of time, looking at human cells and the molecules within them, Souers said the scientists look for ways to kill the malignant cells to improve a patient's condition. 'We take white cells out of the body to help find ways of curation,' Souers said. 'We look for ways we can just kill the tumor cells.' As Souers and his colleagues in AbbVie's labs work to find more solutions to treat cancer, the company is increasing its awareness campaign for cancer advocacy, including a partnership with the Chicago Cubs announced Friday, which could put thousands of dollars toward treating cancer. Dubbed 'Striking Out Cancer,' for every strikeout a Cub pitcher throws during the 2025 home season starting last Friday, AbbVie will donate $233 to Cub Charities, according to an AbbVie press release. The $233 amount is in honor of the 233 Americans diagnosed with cancer every hour. 'Together with our hometown partner, the Chicago Cubs, we aim to create greater awareness for cancer advocacy and to make a remarkable impact for those living with cancer worldwide,' Tracie Haas, AbbVie's senior vice president for corporate affairs, said in the release. In the Cubs' three games over the weekend. the team's pitchers struck out 18 batters netting nearly $5,000 to fight cancer. With 63 home games left this season, the donation could approach more than $100,000. While the Cub pitchers are doing their part, AbbVie's scientists continue to look for more ways to snuff out cancerous cells. Other people at the company are doing their part, getting the medicine to the patients who need it. Lung cancer is a serious concern and receiving a lot of emphasis from AbbVie because, Souers said, it is one of the deadliest. The five-year survival rate is less than 10%, creating an urgency in the lab. 'It's a small cell and that makes it very, very hard,' Souers said. 'Our goal is to dose the patient. Once we have something which works, we go to the next generation of the medicine.' In the labs, people and machines are working together to test and retest potential medicines until they work. Emily Faivre, a senior principal research scientist working in the labs devoted to finding effective medicine to treat cancer, said the testing is rigorous before the approval process even starts. Holding a 2½-inch-by-four-inch specimen container with 384 wells — it's like a honeycomb from a beehive — Faivre said each well receives a drop of material for testing through laboratory equipment. 'It reads enzyme activity,' Faivre said. 'The molecules are very small. We need to know how many we need to kill a cancer cell.' Once the medicine is created and completes the regulatory process, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as well as similar agencies in other countries around the world, Brian Anderson deals with the logistics of getting it to other nations. Anderson, AbbVie's vice president of product development for science and technology, said the company has established two distinct supply chains. If there is a problem with one, the other can pick up the slack while the issue is resolved. It assures a patient will get their life-saving drug. 'We supply these medicines to 175 countries around the world,' Anderson said. 'We are doing this on a fairly large scale. Thousands of people need this product.'
Globe and Mail
17-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Jim Cramer Says You Should Buy This ‘Strong Buy' Stock ‘Hand Over Fist'
Eli Lilly (LLY) is a leading pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets healthcare products. The company focuses on major areas such as cardiometabolic health, immunology, oncology, and neuroscience. About LLY Stock Eli Lilly's stock has seen plenty of volatility this year and stands at a loss of 2% in the year to date. The stock is up roughly 3% in the last month but down close to 11% in its past three months. It is also down just under 2% over the past 52 weeks. Taking a long-term view, the stock has gained 73% in the last two years and nearly 390% in the last five years. Eli Lilly Miss EPS Estimates Eli Lilly posted its first-quarter results on May 1. Revenue increased 45% to $12.73 billion, beating analyst estimates of $12.62 billion. However, the company's profit of $3.34 per adjusted share missed analysts' $3.52-per-share estimate. Sales for Mounjaro came to $3.84 billion, a 113% rise year-over-year, and also beat analysts' $3.75 billion estimate. Zepbound generated $2.31 billion in revenue, also beating analysts' $2.27 billion estimate while recording a 20.9% rise year-over-year. Jardiance grew 48% YoY to $1.01 billion, easily beating analysts' $675 million estimate. For 2025, management has reiterated its revenue guidance but has lowered its earnings expectations. Revenue is anticipated in a range of $58 billion to $61 billion, reflecting 32% annual growth at the midpoint. Eli Lilly lowered its earnings guidance from a range of $22.50 to $20.78 per share to a range of $22.28 to $20.78 per share. Jim Cramer on Eli Lilly Jim Cramer, the Mad Money host, emphasized Eli Lilly's advantage in the weight-loss drug market, especially against rival Novo Nordisk (NVO). The expert pointed out that new data showed Eli Lilly's GLP-1 drug to be significantly better than Novo Nordisk's offering in terms of weight-loss effectiveness. As per reports, participants who took Eli Lilly's Zepbound lost an average of 50 pounds over 72 weeks, while participants who took Novo Nordisk's Wegovy lost an average of 33 pounds. The key difference in the drug is, that Zepbound targets two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, on the other hand, Wegovy only targets GLP-1. Cramer argued that once investors recognize the clear superiority of Eli Lilly's drug, its stock could see a major surge of around 100 points. Thus, he encouraged investors to buy up the stock 'hand over fist' given the company's solid position in the weight-loss market. Analyst Takes on Eli Lilly Eli Lilly has always been a favorite on Wall Street, receiving a 'Strong Buy' rating from experts with a mean price target of $992.17, reflecting upside potential of 31% from current prices. 25 analysts have reviewed the stock and given it 21 'Strong Buy' ratings, one 'Moderate Buy' rating, and three 'Hold' ratings.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lilly Down 17% Since Q1 Results: Should You Buy the Dip in LLY Stock?
Eli Lilly and Company's LLY shares have lost 17% so far in May. Lilly announced mixed earnings results on May 1. It missed first-quarter estimates for earnings but beat the same for sales. Sales of key drugs, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Jardiance, and Taltz beat estimates, while only Verzenio missed expectations. Lilly's new products also contributed to sales growth. Trulicity sales continued to decline in the quarter. Lilly maintained its sales guidance for 2025 while lowering its earnings expectations to account for the charges recorded in the first quarter related to the acquisition of the Scorpion Therapeutics PI3Kα inhibitor program. Excluding these charges, the company's EPS guidance was unchanged. Despite the better-than-expected sales performance, Lilly's stock nosedived 11% the day it announced the first-quarter results. However, this was not just for the earnings miss and the EPS guidance cut. The stock also took a hit because CVS Caremark, a major pharmacy benefit manager ('PBM'), announced a partnership with rival Novo Nordisk NVO to make NVO's Wegovy its preferred GLP-1 therapy for weight loss, effective July 1. NVO also recently announced partnerships with telehealth providers Hims & Hers Health to offer Wegovy at a discounted price to cash-paying patients. However, we believe the stock's sell-off following the first-quarter earnings was an overreaction. Let's understand the company's strengths and weaknesses to better analyze how to play the stock amid the recent price dip. Lilly has a strong portfolio of medicines to treat diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases and its cardiometabolic business is its most successful business, particularly with the success of its popular tirzepatide medicines, diabetes drug Mounjaro and weight loss medicine, Zepbound. Despite being on the market for less than three years, Mounjaro and Zepbound became key top-line drivers for Lilly, with demand rising rapidly. Mounjaro and Zepbound generated combined sales of $6.15 billion in the first quarter of 2025, accounting for around 48% of the company's total revenues. Though sales of Mounjaro and Zepbound were below expectations in the second half of 2024, hurt by slower-than-expected growth and unfavorable channel dynamics, their sales picked up in the first quarter of 2025, driven by launches of the drugs in new international markets and improved supply from ramped-up production. Both drugs enjoy increasing market share inthe United States. Mounjaro is the market leader in new prescription within type II diabetes incretin analogs. In the first quarter, Zepbound held the leading market share in the anti-obesity market, with total prescription and new prescription reaching 60% and 74% respectively. We believe that increased uptake in outside U.S. markets and deeper penetration into the U.S. market will continue to drive Mounjaro and Zepbound's growth in future quarters. Mounjaro was recently launched in China, and Lilly expects to increase commercial launches in the country in the second half of 2025 as supply improves. Lilly also launched Mounjaro in India and Mexico recently and plans to continue with additional country launches throughout 2025. Approvals for new indications can also drive sales of Mounjaro and Zepbound higher. In late December, the FDA approved Zepbound for its second indication, moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity. In addition, LLY filed tirzepatide for heart failure, which further expands the opportunity for the candidate. It also expects to announce data from a cardiovascular outcome study on tirzepatide this year. In 2025, Lilly launched additional Zepbound lower-priced vial doses and offered new savings for self-pay patients to boost sales. Other than Mounjaro and Zepbound, Lilly has gained approvals for some other new drugs in the past couple of years. These include Omvoh for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, BTK inhibitor Jaypirca for mantle cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Ebglyss for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis and Kisunla (donanemab) for early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease. Its new drugs are also contributing to its top-line growth. Lilly expects its new drugs, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Omvoh, Jaypirca, Ebglyss and Kisunla, along with the expanded use of existing drugs, to drive sales growth in 2025. It also expects the potential launch of new medicines like imlunestrant for metastatic breast cancer to contribute to growth in 2025. Lilly is also making rapid pipeline progress in obesity, diabetesand cancer, with several key mid and late-stage data-readouts expected this year. Lilly is investing broadly in obesity and has several new molecules currently in clinical development. These include two late-stage candidates, orforglipron, an oral GLP-1 small molecule, and retatrutide, a GGG tri-agonist and some mid-stage candidates, bimagrumab, eloralintide and mazdutide. Data from the first of the seven phase III studies on orforglipron in type II diabetes and obesity was announced in April 2025. In the study, orforglipron lowered A1C by an average of 1.3% - 1.6% across doses and also reduced weight by an average of 16lb (7.9%) at the highest dose. Lilly expects to report additional results from the phase III ACHIEVE clinical program, as well as data from the phase III ATTAIN clinical program evaluating orforglipron for obesity, later this year. It plans to file regulatory applications for orforglipron in obesity by the end of this year and for type II diabetes in the first half of 2026. The obesity market is heating up and is expected to expand to $100 billion by 2030, according to data from Goldman Sachs. Lilly and Novo Nordisk presently dominate the market. Several companies like Amgen AMGN and Viking Therapeutics VKTX are also making rapid progress in the development of GLP-1-based candidates in their clinical pipeline. Amgen has begun a broad phase III program on its dual GIPR/GLP-1 receptor agonist, MariTide, across obesity, obesity-related conditions and type-II diabetes, with the first two phase III studies initiated in March. Viking Therapeutics' dual GIPR/GLP-1 receptor agonist, VK2735, is being developed both as oral and subcutaneous formulations for the treatment of obesity. Phase III studies with the subcutaneous formulation of VK2735 are on track to begin in the second quarter. AMGN and VKTX's products can pose strong competition to Mounjaro/Zepbound and NVO's Ozempic/Wegovy in the future. Others like Roche, Merck and AbbVie are also looking to enter the obesity space by in-licensing obesity candidates from smaller biotechs, which could threaten Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly's dominance in the market. Lilly's stock has declined 3.2% so far this year, underperforming the industry's decrease of 2.4% Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The stock is trading at a premium to the industry, as seen in the chart below. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Estimates for Lilly's 2025 earnings have declined from $23.49 to $22.20 per share in the past 30 days, while those for 2026 have declined from $31.28 to $30.83 over the same timeframe. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Lilly is battling several challenges at present. Sales of its key medicine, Trulicity, are declining in the United States due to competitive dynamics, including Mounjaro switches and supply constraints. Prices of most of Lilly's products are declining in the United States, including Mounjaro and Zepbound, primarily due to changes to estimates for rebates and discounts. Lilly's U.S. net price has declined every year since 2021. In 2025, Lilly expects a mid-to-high single-digit percentage price decline, including U.S. Part D changes. Potential competition in the GLP-1 diabetes/obesity market is another headwind. Trump and the Republican government also continue to stress on the control of drug prices with the latest attempt being his 'most favored nations' policy.' The potential impact of tariffs imposed by the United States and some other countries is a concern. Though Lilly's 2025 earnings guidance absorbs the impact of tariffs already in place, expanding tariffs in other geographies or increases in retaliatory tariffs would hurt the financial outlook. Though pharmaceuticals have been exempted from tariffs this time around, they could well be Trump's target in the next round, considering the President's goal to shift pharmaceutical production back to the United States, mostly from European and Asian countries. Also, CVS' deal with NVO, which can hurt Zepbound's market share, has raised investor concerns about such PBM formulary changes in the obesity space. However, regarding the deal, Lilly's CEO, Dave Ricks, said that Lilly was not interested in such one-on-one deals and was more focused on expanding access for Zepbound. He does not expect CVS' decision to exclude Zepbound in favor of Wegovy to hurt Lilly's revenues. Looking at the brighter side, Lilly's tremendous success with Mounjaro and Zepbound has made it the largest drugmaker with a market cap of more than $700 billion. Lilly's stock has gone up by almost 400% in the past five years, mainly due to its successful new drug launches, particularly Mounjaro and Zepbound, and its solid pipeline potential. In 2025, Lilly expects to record revenues in the range of $58.0 billion to $61.0 billion, indicating an impressive 32% year-over-year growth. Lilly's revenue growth is being driven by higher demand for Mounjaro, Zepbound, Verzenio, and others, which is making up for the decline in sales from Trulicity. LLY returned $2.5 billion to shareholders in the first quarter via share repurchases and dividends. Despite an expensive valuation and declining estimates, we suggest investors who own this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company retain it as it has solid growth prospects despite some near-term headwinds. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Lilly's stock is trading below its 5-year mean now. The recent dip in price can be used as a buying opportunity for long-term investors. 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 Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amgen Inc. (AMGN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Sign in to access your portfolio
