Walgreens will conduct clinical trials for Boehringer Ingelheim's new obesity drug

By Alan Goforth - Walgreens has signed a deal with Boehringer Ingelheim to use its community pharmacies as clinical trial sites for people living with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Advancement of Survodutide: Moving into Phase III studies, the drugmaker's collaboration with Zealand Pharma on Survodutide is poised to rival established GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Having cleared safety and efficacy trials, the drug's Phase III trials will benchmark its performance against existing treatments, potentially offering a new option for patients with diabetes.

2. Walgreens' Innovative Approach to Clinical Trials: Leveraging its nationwide presence and community relationships, Walgreens aims to revolutionize clinical trial recruitment and participation. By utilizing data-driven solutions and community engagement, Walgreens seeks to make clinical trials more inclusive and accessible, particularly targeting underrepresented demographics like Black and Hispanic adults with obesity.

3. Pharmacy Chains' Role in Clinical Research: Walgreens, CVS, and Kroger are at the forefront of integrating clinical trial services into their business models. By partnering with drugmakers and research organizations, these chains are not only expediting participant recruitment but also enhancing research effectiveness. This proactive approach underscores a shift towards decentralized clinical trials, bringing research opportunities directly to local communities and fostering greater diversity in trial participation.

Weight loss drug coverage gets more complicated

By Jakob Emerson - In less than a month's time, a federal lawmaker warned weight loss drugs have the potential to bankrupt the healthcare system, and new research from Blue Cross Blue Shield found nearly six in 10 patients taking the drugs don't reach a meaningful health benefit. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Escalating Costs and Coverage Challenges: The soaring prices of GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Ozempic pose significant challenges for insurers, health systems, and employers. Senator Bernie Sanders warns that these exorbitant costs could strain Medicare and the broader healthcare system, potentially leading to historic increases in premiums for all insured individuals.

2. Financial Impact on Insurers: Insurers are feeling the financial strain caused by the rising costs of covering weight loss drugs. Highmark Health reported rising pharmaceutical costs, particularly concerning GLP-1 drugs, impacting both profits and member premiums. Other insurers, including CVS Health and Cigna, view these expensive therapies as a growth opportunity for their pharmacy benefits divisions, although coverage expansion remains limited due to employer reluctance.

3. Policy Changes and Industry Response: Recent policy shifts by the FDA and CMS have allowed certain Medicare plans to cover Wegovy for seniors with specific heart conditions. Despite criticism over high list prices, manufacturers like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are investing billions to boost production and express willingness to collaborate with lawmakers to address systemic issues, emphasizing the significant upfront investment required for drug development.

Can AI solve the mental health crisis?

By Alyssa Place - As artificial intelligence infiltrates itself into how we work, why shouldn't it also become a part of how we care for ourselves, too? Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Increasing Availability of Tech-based Mental Health Support: Employers are actively integrating technology into their benefits packages, with 72% offering virtual behavioral healthcare and telehealth options, and 68% providing app-based mental health support. Despite these efforts, a significant portion of the workforce continues to face mental health challenges.

2. The Need for Holistic Solutions: While traditional therapy remains essential, there's recognition that it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. Employers and mental health platforms like Most Days are advocating for a holistic approach, leveraging technologies such as generative AI to complement traditional healthcare. This approach aims to empower individuals to develop resilience and healthy habits, addressing mental health proactively rather than reactively.

3. Democratizing Mental Health Care with AI: AI-powered platforms like Most Days are democratizing mental health care by providing accessible, affordable, and personalized support. Through gamification, continuous adaptation, and integration with traditional care when necessary, these tools strive to make significant improvements in mental well-being for a broader range of individuals, regardless of their access to resources or the severity of their conditions.

Delaware judge lets more than 70,000 Zantac lawsuits go forward

By Brendan Pierson - A Delaware judge has allowed more than 70,000 lawsuits over discontinued heartburn drug Zantac to go forward, ruling that expert witnesses can testify in court that the drug may cause cancer. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Legal Precedent Shift: Judge Vivian Medinilla's ruling in the Delaware Superior Court marks a significant legal setback for former Zantac manufacturers including GSK, Pfizer, Sanofi, and Boehringer Ingelheim. The decision underscores a pivotal shift in legal strategy, emphasizing the role of juries in determining the scientific merit of arguments, rather than the courts directly intervening in technical disputes between expert witnesses.

2. Challenges to Evidence: Despite the manufacturers' assertion that there is no reliable evidence linking Zantac to cancer, the court's decision opens the door for plaintiffs' claims alleging that the companies failed to warn consumers about the potential risks associated with Zantac's active ingredient, ranitidine. The ruling reflects the ongoing debate surrounding the presence of NDMA, a known carcinogen, in some Zantac pills, and the contention over whether the drugmakers adequately addressed this risk.

3. Implications for Pending Cases: With nearly 80,000 cases pending in the United States, Medinilla's oversight of the majority of these cases in Delaware amplifies the significance of her ruling. Beyond Delaware, thousands of additional claims in California and various state courts nationwide contribute to the broader legal landscape surrounding Zantac. The outcome of these legal battles will likely have far-reaching implications for the pharmaceutical industry and consumer safety standards.

Business Group on Health: A look at employers' evolving strategies around well-being

By Paige Minemyer - Well-being programs continue to be a central focus for employers, and they're evolving the reach of these offerings into new areas such as the social determinants of health, according to a new survey. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Well-being Programs as Strategic Imperatives: Nearly all (100%) of the 160 surveyed firms consider well-being programs crucial to their overall strategy. Maintaining the current funding levels for these programs underscores their significance in promoting employee health and productivity.

2. Expansion into Social Well-being: Over half (51%) of the surveyed employers plan to enhance their well-being programs to address social needs within the next three to five years. This shift reflects a growing recognition among employers of the profound impact social factors can have on employee health and well-being.

3. Focus on Reproductive and Family Planning Benefits: A significant majority (76%) of employers intend to provide reproductive or family planning benefits to employees this year, with an even higher percentage (86%) planning to offer such benefits by 2025. This trend highlights the increasing importance of these benefits in talent recruitment and retention efforts, signaling a strategic evolution in employers' wellness strategies.

Structure pill leads to competitive weight loss in obesity study

By Delilah Alvarado - Many companies hope to compete with Novo Nordisk’s and Eli Lilly’s fast-selling GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss. Structure is among them and, like several others, is working on developing a treatment that can be taken orally, rather than injected like Novo’s Wegovy or Lilly’s Zepbound. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Efficacy of Experimental GLP-1 Pill: Structure Therapeutics' experimental GLP-1 pill, GSBR-1290, demonstrated significant efficacy in aiding weight loss among individuals with obesity or overweight. In a Phase 2a study, participants on GSBR-1290 experienced an average reduction in body weight of 6.2% compared to placebo, with one-third achieving a weight loss of 10% or more.

2. Market Response and Company Outlook: The positive results from the Phase 2a study sparked a surge in Structure Therapeutics' stock value, indicating investor confidence in the drug's potential. Despite previous setbacks in a trial involving individuals with Type 2 diabetes, the promising data from the Phase 2a study and additional pharmacokinetic trial have revitalized optimism for GSBR-1290's future.

3. Safety Profile and Future Directions: While GSBR-1290 exhibited common side effects like nausea and vomiting, they were generally manageable and diminished with adjusted dosing. Notably, no severe adverse events such as liver injury were reported. Looking ahead, Structure Therapeutics plans to advance into a Phase 2b obesity study, aiming to explore higher doses and further evaluate the drug's potential as a viable treatment option for obesity.

AI in action: Enhancing suicide risk detection in behavioral health

By Anastassia Gliadkovskaya - From automating administrative tasks to clinical decision support, the use cases for artificial intelligence in healthcare continue to multiply. One unique approach is the use of natural language processing to gauge the risk of suicide among behavioral health patients. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Enhanced Detection Capabilities: Utilizing Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology, studies show a significant improvement in identifying potential suicidal ideation. NeuroFlow's research demonstrated that over half of patients expressing suicidal thoughts through free-form text entries could be detected, offering a crucial layer of detection beyond traditional methods like questionnaire screenings.

2. Integration for Timely Intervention: NLP integration with healthcare systems allows for proactive crisis intervention. By combining NLP flagging with human intervention, patients can receive support and crisis resources promptly, even outside of regular office hours. This approach, exemplified in collaborations like Emory Healthcare's pilot with NeuroFlow, bridges gaps in mental health care delivery and ensures patients are monitored and supported effectively.

3. Personalized Support and Moderation: Beyond clinical settings, NLP aids in moderating online communities to mitigate self-harm and suicide risks. Platforms like Twill Care leverage NLP alongside human moderation to analyze user posts and comments for potential risks, offering timely interventions and crisis protocols. This blend of technology and human oversight ensures scalable support while maintaining a safe environment for peer engagement and support.

Mediterranean diet associated with 23% reduction in mortality, study finds

By Sara Moniuszko - The Mediterranean diet has long been regarded as a heart-healthy option, but a new study has found the diet may help lower the risk of death. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Reduced Mortality Risk: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet among 25,315 women over 25 years led to a significant 23% reduction in all-cause mortality, alongside decreased risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality.

2. Healthier Lifestyle Correlation: Participants with higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet showcased healthier lifestyles, including lower BMI and increased intake of fruits, nuts, whole grains, legumes, and fish, while reducing consumption of red and processed meat. Moreover, they exhibited an overall healthier biomarker profile.

3. Limitations and Considerations: Despite the positive findings, the study faced limitations such as a lack of racial and ethnic diversity among participants, who were predominantly white, middle-aged, and well-educated females. Additionally, dietary adherence assessment relied on food questionnaires, potentially introducing misclassifications, indicating a need for further research and diverse participant samples to enhance generalizability.

Semaglutide May Boost Taste Sensitivity

By Kristen Monaco - Once-weekly semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) improved taste sensitivity, changed gene expression in the tongue linked to taste perception, and changed brain activity in response to sweet tastes in women with obesity, a researcher reported here. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Increased Sensitivity to Basic Tastes: Women taking semaglutide showed heightened sensitivity to the four basic tastes—sweet, sour, salty, and bitter—compared to those on placebo. Their sensitivity scores rose from 11.9 to 14.4 points, indicating a lowered threshold for taste detection.

2. Genetic and Neural Correlates: RNA sequencing of tongue tissue revealed differential mRNA expression in genes associated with taste transduction, taste bud development, renewal, and differentiation in women on semaglutide. Additionally, functional MRI scans showed increased brain activity in the angular gyrus of the parietal cortex, a region linked to comprehension and reasoning, particularly in response to tasting sweet solutions.

3. Altered Response to Food Cues: Functional MRI scans also indicated that women on semaglutide exhibited decreased activation in the putamen—a brain region involved in the reward system—when exposed to calorie-dense food cues. This suggests reduced satisfaction or reward response to high-caloric foods in the semaglutide group, potentially impacting dietary preferences and eating behaviors.

Add-On to GLP-1s Yields Greater Weight Loss

By Manasl Talwadekar - The addition of bupropion/naltrexone to glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists leads to a further 4%-5% total body weight loss (TBWL) in patients with obesity, including those who show a poor response to initial GLP-1 monotherapy. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Study Population and Design: Researchers retrospectively evaluated 415 adult patients with a BMI ≥ 30 who received GLP-1 receptor agonists (liraglutide or semaglutide) for at least 6 months in an obesity clinic in Vancouver, Canada. They compared the outcomes of patients who continued GLP-1 monotherapy with those who received combination therapy of GLP-1 and bupropion/naltrexone over a 12-month period.

2. Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measure was the total body weight loss (TBWL) at 6 and 12 months after initiating GLP-1 therapy or adding bupropion/naltrexone. Researchers stratified patients into responders (≥ 5% TBWL) and nonresponders (< 5% TBWL) based on their initial response to GLP-1 monotherapy and assessed the percent TBWL in both groups.

3. Key Findings and Implications: At 12 months, there was no significant difference in percent TBWL between GLP-1 monotherapy and combination therapy groups overall. However, when stratified by initial response to GLP-1, combination therapy led to greater TBWL than monotherapy in both responders and nonresponders. This suggests that adding bupropion/naltrexone may enhance weight loss outcomes, highlighting the potential for personalized obesity treatment strategies.