The Sun reported on October 30 that naltrexone, the opioid blocker it calls the 'Ozempic for alcoholics', is licensed in the UK but is not currently available on the NHS for alcohol addiction. There is a good deal more to get through after that. According to The Star, which published its report on the same date, an observational review of 10 studies found no clearly detectable rise in complications among women exposed to GLP-1 drugs around conception.

The Sun builds its story around Katie Lain, who says she is in recovery from alcohol addiction. According to The Sun, she began taking naltrexone in July 2017 under the Sinclair Method, which pairs the drug, taken before drinking, with therapy and personal development. The Sun says naltrexone works by blocking the brain's opioid receptors, and the paper compares this to the way Ozempic or Mounjaro numbs food cravings. The Sun also reports that a month's supply costs about £100, and that because the drug is classed as off-label for alcohol addiction, it has to be bought privately. The next story concerns a very different kind of drug.

The New York Post reports that Megan Hancocks, 32, developed acute liver failure within days of injecting a black-market peptide labelled as retatrutide, as she told Australia's ABC News. Her account is a hard one to read. According to the Post, she spent about a month in hospital and recovered enough to avoid a liver transplant. The Post also reports that the FDA has issued warnings about retatrutide and all other unapproved, compounded GLP-1 medications. The next story moves from medicine to fashion.

The Guardian reports that eating disorder advocates spoke out against the association between the fashion show and the company that makes Zepbound and Mounjaro. According to The Guardian, an Eli Lilly spokesperson said the company works with cultural platforms like Vogue because that is where conversations about bodies and health take place. The Guardian article goes on to argue that body positivity has all but vanished within mainstream visual culture while much of its social training lingers. The next item is a research story.

According to The Star, the review was carried out by researchers at City St George's, University of London, and included more than two million women, of whom more than 8,000 were exposed to the drugs around conception. The Star reports that the findings are published in the Cell Press journal Med. This one needs its caveats kept in view. The Star quotes Professor Asma Khalil as saying the findings are reassuring but do not establish that these medications are safe during pregnancy, and that current recommendations to stop GLP-1 drugs before a planned pregnancy should continue to be followed. The last story comes from social media.

Times Now News reports that the video was first shared by a doctor in September 2025, with a warning against injecting Mounjaro at the clinic entrance right after buying it. According to Times Now News, the clip resurfaced in January 2026 after the influencer reacted to it herself. The outlet reports that she stands 170 cm tall and weighs 47 kg, which it calculates as a BMI of about 16.3. Times Now News also reports that Japan's official Mounjaro prescribing information states that safety and effectiveness have not been established in people with a BMI below 23 kg/m².

Each of these stories carries more detail than fits in a short edition. The full articles are available at The Sun, the New York Post, The Guardian, The Star and Times Now News, all linked in this edition.

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Medical News Today reported on October 30 that in two phase 3 trials, the experimental drug retatrutide reduced sleep apnea events per hour more than placebo did. That is a good place to start. Proactive Investors reported on October 29 that Citi said Novo Nordisk faces tougher competition after Lilly's retatrutide outperformed Ozempic in a diabetes trial. Page Six reported on October 30 that actor Chrissy Metz said a GLP-1 has really minimized her inflammation during her run in the Broadway show & Juliet.

The first item is one we are flagging rather than reporting. Yahoo Finance labels the Research and Markets item it carried on October 30 as a paid press release. Paid material is advertising rather than news, so its figures and claims are not repeated here. The research is where the substance begins.

Medical News Today reports that the two trials were TRIUMPH-1-OSA, in 243 people without type 2 diabetes, and TRIUMPH-2-OSA, in 448 people with type 2 diabetes. The numbers are worth a careful look. According to Medical News Today, by week 80 the 12 mg dose reduced events by 32 per hour in people without diabetes, against a reduction of just under 10 per hour on placebo. Medical News Today also reports that retatrutide is not yet licensed by the FDA or any other authority because it is still in phase 3 trials. Medical News Today quotes lead author Ron Grunstein calling it the first treatment shown to improve sleep apnea in patients with type 2 diabetes. There is a more cautious view as well. Medical News Today quotes Mir Ali, a bariatric surgeon not involved in the research, saying studies would need to prove a medication improves sleep apnea independently of weight loss. The next story comes from the investment side.

Proactive Investors reports that Lilly's phase III TRANSCEND-T2D-2 trial, in patients with type 2 diabetes, met its primary endpoint. The weight figures stand out. According to Proactive Investors, weight loss reached 19.5% with 9mg retatrutide and 20.9% with 12mg, versus 9.4% with Ozempic's highest approved dose of 2mg. The safety figures come next. Proactive Investors reports that adverse events led to discontinuation in 4.8% to 7.9% of retatrutide patients versus 2.7% on Ozempic. The last two items come from celebrity coverage.

Page Six reports that Metz told ET that being able to run around a stage eight shows a week was really amazing. Her own words explain it best. Page Six quotes her saying, "I'm perimenopausal, I got knee issues, there's things going on." Page Six also reports that Metz revealed in August that she is taking a GLP-1. The final item looks back a little further.

WJLA notes that her comments about having been skeptical were made to E! News in August, so they are not new. That detail matters for context. WJLA reports that Metz told E! News she had been "the biggest skeptic." WJLA also reports that she told E! News she hopes sharing her situation enlightens people to an option that might be right for them.

Each of these stories carries more detail than a short summary can hold. The full articles are at Medical News Today (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/experimental-weight-loss-drug-retatrutide-may-help-improve-sleep-apnea), Proactive Investors (https://www.proactiveinvestors.com/companies/news/1100930/novo-nordisk-faces-tougher-glp-1-competition-citi-says-1100930.html), Page Six (https://pagesix.com/2026/10/30/celebrity-news/chrissy-metz-flaunts-100-lb-weight-loss-gushes-about-surprise-glp-1-side-effects/) and WJLA (https://wjla.com/news/entertainment/this-is-us-star-chrissy-metz-opens-up-on-benefits-of-glp-1-beyond-weight-loss).

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CNBC reports that a summer Marsh survey of more than 1,800 U.S. employers expects insurance cost per employee to rise 8.2% on average in 2027, with GLP-1 use accounting for a full percentage point of that increase. That is one place to start. The New York Post reports that Eli Lilly stock jumped 6% on Thursday, October 29, to a $1.3 trillion valuation after the company raised its full-year earnings forecast.

Employer coverage comes first. CNBC reports that the Business Group on Health survey was conducted in early 2026 among 105 employer members, and that about two-thirds of them were covering GLP-1s for weight management. Of those companies, 10% said they would likely drop that coverage in 2027. In a separate March survey, nearly eight in 10 employers told Business Group on Health that GLP-1s are driving an increase in their company's healthcare costs, according to CNBC. There is another side to this as well. CNBC also reports that Bank of America is spending more than $250 million a year to provide GLP-1 weight loss medications to its workforce, and that Walmart plans to cover more than 250 prescription medications, including GLP-1s for diabetes, at no cost to its employees in 2027.

The next story moves to the stock market. The New York Post reports that Eli Lilly stock hit a record high on Thursday after a stronger-than-expected earnings report fueled by sales of Mounjaro and Zepbound. There is a second part to that report. The New York Post, citing Reuters, reports that Lilly's recent acquisitions of AtaiBeckley and Curevo put dents in the company's profit outlook.

The next report looks at one product in particular. Investor's Business Daily reports that Foundayo launched in the U.S. in April. According to Investor's Business Daily, the pill generated $184 million in sales over three months. Investor's Business Daily also reports that Lilly beat overall sales expectations on Thursday on the strength of Mounjaro and Zepbound.

The next story comes from clinical research. Business Insider reports that Eli Lilly published results from its first clinical trial comparing retatrutide with Ozempic. According to Business Insider, retatrutide is a next-generation injectable medication that is still awaiting regulatory approval. Business Insider reports that patients with type 2 diabetes using retatrutide lost 47 pounds on average over 16 months, more than twice the 21 pounds lost by those on the highest dose of Ozempic.

The last story looks at the numbers behind the quarter. TIKR reports that Eli Lilly's volume rose 53% while its realized prices fell 15%. TIKR notes that about $900 million of the quarter's revenue came from one-time benefits. According to TIKR, acquired research charges of $4.57 a share pulled Lilly's full-year earnings per share guidance down to $35.00 to $36.00, even as its revenue guidance rose.

There is more in each article than fits here. The full stories are available at CNBC (https://www.cnbc.com/make-it/2026/10/29/glp-1-workforce-employer-coverage.html), the New York Post (https://nypost.com/2026/10/29/business/demand-for-weight-loss-drugs-fuels-eli-lilly-stock-surge-market-cap-hits-1-2-trillion/), Investor's Business Daily (https://www.investors.com/news/technology/eli-lilly-stock-eli-lilly-earnings-q3-2026/), Business Insider (https://www.businessinsider.com/retatrutide-ozempic-eli-lilly-health-tech-ai-robin-ro-medicine) and TIKR (https://www.tikr.com/blog/eli-lilly-soars-5-as-mounjaro-and-zepbound-demand-drives-5-5-billion-guidance-raise).

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CNBC reports that Eli Lilly on Thursday raised its 2026 revenue forecast to between $91 billion and $92 billion, up from $85 billion to $87 billion, on demand for Zepbound and Mounjaro. That is only one part of the story. According to the New York Post, Lilly's experimental drug retatrutide helped patients with type 2 diabetes lose more than twice as much weight as Ozempic's highest approved dose in a head-to-head trial.

According to CNBC, Lilly said the 7% decrease in realized prices was primarily driven by Zepbound, and the volume increase came mainly from Mounjaro and Zepbound. Here is the bottom line for the U.S. business. CNBC reports that Lilly's revenue in the U.S. climbed 34% to $15.1 billion in the quarter. From sales, the subject now changes to research.

Some background helps with this one. KABC-TV describes retatrutide as a once-weekly injection that mimics three hormones: GLP-1, GIP and glucagon. According to KABC-TV, other weight loss drugs currently on the market mimic just one or two hunger-regulating hormones. KABC-TV also reports, citing the FDA, that any version consumers have seen online comes from the black market and should not be consumed. The next report turns to a different health condition.

The New York Post reports that the research, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, included adults with moderate-to-severe sleep apnea and a BMI of at least 27, who received weekly retatrutide at 4, 9 or 12 milligrams or a placebo and were followed for 80 weeks. According to the New York Post, about 68% of participants had more than a 50% improvement in sleep apnea symptoms, whether or not they had type 2 diabetes. This next part is easy to miss. The New York Post reports that the researchers named retatrutide's lack of FDA approval as a limitation and said further studies are needed on long-term cardiovascular outcomes. The next report comes from the same outlet.

According to the New York Post, the trial compared 9 milligram and 12 milligram weekly doses of retatrutide with Ozempic at 2 milligrams in nearly 1,300 adults with type 2 diabetes. The New York Post reports that after 80 weeks, A1C fell by an average of 2.2 percentage points on either retatrutide dose, compared with 1.8 points on Ozempic. According to the New York Post, people on the 9 milligram dose lost an average of 19.5% of their body weight and those on 12 milligrams lost 20.9%, compared with 9.4% on Ozempic. The New York Post also reports that discontinuation on the 9 milligram dose was 4.8%. The last report is a short one.

Investor's Business Daily reports that Lilly shared the result on Wednesday from a head-to-head study against Novo Nordisk's Ozempic. Here is the market angle. According to Investor's Business Daily, Novo stock skidded in response.

Each of these stories has more detail than fits here. The full reports are at CNBC (https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/29/eli-lilly-lly-earnings-q3-2026.html), KABC-TV (https://abc7.com/story/new-weightloss-drug-retatrutide-provides-double-weight-loss-ozempic-lilly-says/19990480/), the New York Post (https://nypost.com/2026/10/28/health/experimental-weight-loss-drug-found-to-help-ease-sleep-disorders/ and https://nypost.com/2026/10/28/health/retatrutide-delivers-double-the-weight-loss-as-ozempic-study/) and Investor's Business Daily (https://www.investors.com/news/technology/eli-lilly-retatrutide-novo-ozempic-head-to-head-study/).

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Eli Lilly said on Wednesday that its investigational drug retatrutide was more effective than Novo Nordisk's Ozempic at lowering blood sugar and cutting weight in a large diabetes study, according to STAT. That was not the only story worth your time. The Times looked at new creams and clinic treatments aimed at what it calls the fast-shrinking faces of the GLP-1 generation.

The weight figures are where this one gets attention. According to STAT, people on the highest dose of retatrutide lost 20.9% of their weight, while those taking Ozempic lost 9.4%. The fine print matters here. STAT reports that these results are based on analyses looking only at the participants who stayed on treatment, not all participants.

The next story is a personal one. In a piece published October 27, The Daily Beast reports that Chrissy Metz spoke with Entertainment Tonight outside the premiere of Apple TV+'s Nocturne about the medication's effects on her endurance and perimenopause symptoms. Her own account is the focus. According to The Daily Beast, Metz said she has noticed significantly less inflammation in her body after the treatment.

From there, the subject turns to shopping habits. The New York Post, in an article published October 27, identifies Bina as an assistant professor at Arizona State's Morrison School of Agribusiness. His own summary is plain. The Post quotes Bina saying that "using or starting to use GLP-1 medications increases your demand for certain protein products."

The trial behind the opening story gets a fuller picture from a second outlet. Healio reports that the participants were unable to achieve glycemic control with metformin with or without an SGLT2 inhibitor, and they were randomly assigned 2:2:1 to retatrutide 9 mg, retatrutide 12 mg or Ozempic 2 mg for 80 weeks. According to Healio, the primary outcome was noninferiority of retatrutide 12 mg compared with Ozempic for HbA1c reduction at 80 weeks. Healio reports that in these topline results, according to the efficacy estimand, both retatrutide doses had 2.2 percentage point declines in HbA1c, greater than the 1.8 percentage point drop with Ozempic 2 mg. Healio also reports that 4.8% of adults on retatrutide 9 mg and 7.9% on the 12 mg dose stopped treatment due to adverse events, compared with 2.7% on Ozempic.

The last story moves from medicine to skincare. The Times describes Farmer as a cosmetic formulator and past president of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists. According to The Times, Farmer says that stating a cream or serum can support the regeneration of fat tissue is an unheard-of claim to make for a cosmetic. His distinction is a useful one. The Times quotes him saying that "there's a difference between data observed in a laboratory and a proven visible change in a human face."

Each of these stories has more detail than fits here. The full articles are at STAT (https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/28/retatrutide-vs-ozempic-lilly-diabetes-study/), The Daily Beast (https://www.thedailybeast.com/chrissy-metz-reveals-unexpected-glp-1-side-effect-after-60-lb-weight-loss), the New York Post (https://nypost.com/2026/10/27/lifestyle/meatheads-and-glp-1-one-users-may-be-why-your-steak-dinner-costs-more/), Healio (https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20261028/retatrutide-confers-greater-decreases-in-hba1c-weight-vs-ozempic-in-type-2-diabetes) and The Times (https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/luxury/article/the-new-creams-and-treatments-for-ozempic-face-times-luxury-th6s0583z).

Originally published on GLP-1 Nation.

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Gizmodo reported on October 26 that two trials, published the previous week in the New England Journal of Medicine, found Eli Lilly's experimental drug retatrutide significantly reduced obstructive sleep apnea symptoms compared with placebo. There is more to the day than one drug. According to News-Medical, a review in the Journal of Internal Medicine names gallbladder and biliary disease as the adverse effect most consistently linked to GLP-1 receptor agonists.

Gizmodo reports that Eli Lilly ran the two trials within its larger phase III studies of retatrutide, one in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity and the other in people with obesity but not diabetes, with roughly 700 participants in total. The next detail is the one many readers may look for first. According to Gizmodo, more than half of retatrutide users in one trial had their sleep apnea go into remission or drop to mild. Gizmodo adds that the benefit was smaller, though still significant, for people with both obesity and type 2 diabetes. The next item calls for a label more than a summary.

A finance.yahoo.com page about Counsel Health's weight management program carries a notice that it is a paid press release, distributed by Business Wire. We treat paid releases as advertising rather than news, so we are not repeating its claims here. The next story needs a little care in how it is read.

News-Medical reports that the study, published in Comprehensive Physiology, compared rats given semaglutide with pair-fed rats that received the same amount and kind of food. This part is worth reading slowly. According to News-Medical, the overall makeup of gut bacteria differed between the semaglutide and pair-fed groups in both male and female rats. News-Medical notes that the findings do not establish whether these changes are good or bad for health. The article also says more research is needed to learn whether the changes happen in people receiving semaglutide.

Nutrition is the next subject. The Independent reports on a paper by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the University of Copenhagen that was published in August, so it is not new. The paper warns that people who cut back sharply on food while taking GLP-1 drugs risk getting too little protein and fiber. It also says low fiber intake can make stomach problems such as bloating and constipation worse.

Safety is the last subject of the day. News-Medical reports that the review cites a meta-analysis of 76 randomized trials that found a 37% relative increase in gallbladder or biliary disease. One distinction in this review is worth keeping in mind. According to News-Medical, the review says a causal link has not been established for the other serious adverse events it examined, including thyroid cancer and acute pancreatitis. News-Medical adds that the review stresses that, because these events are rare, even large relative increases may mean small absolute increases for people at low baseline risk.

Each of these stories carries more detail than fits in one edition. The full articles are at the outlets linked here, including Gizmodo and The Independent, along with both News-Medical pieces.

Originally published on GLP-1 Nation.

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CNBC-TV18 reports that Dr Reddy's is preparing to relaunch semaglutide in Canada, with the launch expected by November. The company also plans to expand into more markets, according to CNBC-TV18. And the Korea Times reports that 10.3 percent of surveyed Korean adults said they used or were prescribed GLP-1 obesity drugs in the past year.

CNBC-TV18 reports that Dr Reddy's plans to take semaglutide into more markets beyond Canada, broadening its international footprint. The outlet also reports that Dr Reddy's posted revenues of ₹8,671 crore and net profit of ₹913 crore for the July-September quarter, with an EBITDA margin of 20.6 percent. Those figures give some sense of the resources behind the expansion.

Interest in these drugs is not confined to one country's drugstore shelves. The Korea Times reports that 10.3 percent of the 2,000 adults surveyed for the 2026 Korea Wellness Report said they used or were prescribed GLP-1 obesity drugs in the past year. The outlet also reports that usage varied by generation, with Generation Z at 16.5 percent, millennials at 14.2 percent, Generation X at 7.7 percent and baby boomers at 2.9 percent. The Korea Times reports that 33.9 percent of respondents said they would use obesity drugs if circumstances allowed, rising to 39.7 percent among Generation Z, who cited appearance and body shape management as their top reason.

Not everyone is waiting for an approved prescription, though. In an opinion column in the Santa Fe New Mexican, Virginia Eaton, who works with people using GLP-1 medications, writes that products labeled 'Reta,' 'GLP-3,' 'research peptides' or compounded retatrutide are easy to find online, though retatrutide has not been approved by the FDA. She notes that newer drugs like retatrutide act on multiple pathways in the body, and says she still has questions about its long-term safety, its effects on lean tissue, how to maintain results and who is most likely to benefit or be harmed. In her view, no promise of faster weight loss is worth the risk of injecting an unapproved drug.

Back on the manufacturing side, there is an explanation for why Canada needed a pause at all. Moneycontrol reports that manufacturing issues forced a temporary withdrawal from Canada. The outlet also reports that CFO MV Narasimham pointed to a December target action date from the USFDA for an abatacept intravenous formulation, with the company expecting a significant first-mover advantage. Moneycontrol reports that Dr Reddy's CDMO arm, Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services, crossed $100 million in revenue over the last 12 months, as part of what Narasimham described as a fresh growth cycle built on the semaglutide relaunch, a biosimilars pipeline and an expanding India franchise.

The ambitions attached to that relaunch are not small. The Economic Times reports that Dr Reddy's aims to sell millions of pens for semaglutide, with a focus on international markets. The outlet also reports that a relaunch of generic semaglutide, alongside the US launch of an abatacept biosimilar, is anticipated for future growth. According to the Economic Times, generic semaglutide and biosimilars are central to the company's growth strategy going forward.

You can find the full details on Dr Reddy's Canada plans at CNBC-TV18 and Moneycontrol, the Korea Wellness Report findings at the Korea Times, the opinion column on online retatrutide in the Santa Fe New Mexican, and the growth strategy breakdown at the Economic Times.

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HuffPost cites a Gallup poll finding that 11% of American adults report taking GLP-1 medications, up from 3% in 2024, as the outlet covered reactions to President Trump calling the drugs 'fat drugs.' The New York Post reports that Hershey has a protein powder coming out in January, aimed at consumers who have soured on sweets. And in India, EUROPE SAYS reports that Dr Reddy's generic Ozempic brands Obeda Pro and Obeda Plus began appearing in India in late July, after the July recall of Obeda injection.

HuffPost's own reporting adds context to that figure. Dr. Elizabeth Kazarian, a family and obesity medicine physician in Virginia, told HuffPost that in a few instances Trump referred to GLP-1 medications as 'fat drugs' during briefings about lowering drug prices. HuffPost notes that President Trump, who has taken steps to make GLP-1 medications cheaper, often seems to reduce them to an insult. Doctors and GLP-1 users responded to those comments in the piece.

On the business side, The New York Post reports that nearly 30% of obese US adults are expected to be on appetite-suppressing GLP-1 drugs by 2035, and that Hershey CEO Tanner wants to know how the company can innovate. The outlet also reports that the protein snack bar market is expected to go from $21.94 billion to $32.66 billion by 2031. The New York Post notes Hershey is also expanding its gum-and-mints division to accommodate consumers battling 'Ozempic breath,' described as the bad-breath side effect of the drug. According to Bloomberg, as cited by the outlet, Tanner has increased research and development spending by 25% since he came to Hershey last year.

Overseas, EUROPE SAYS reports that Dr Reddy's Laboratories has two additional generic Ozempic brands, Obeda Pro and Obeda Plus, according to product photographs and marketing materials reviewed by Reuters. The outlet reports that these products are made by a different manufacturer, Hetero Labs, than the original Obeda injectable, supplies of which were halted in July after Dr Reddy's discovered an impurity in the active ingredient. EUROPE SAYS notes that Obeda Pro and Obeda Plus began appearing in the market in late July, according to supply invoices reviewed by Reuters, and that Dr Reddy's sold about 442,000 units of generic semaglutide through September in India, according to research firm Pharmarack.

On the research side, a study looked at a narrower population. Newsweek reports that Mayo Clinic researchers found GLP-1 medications were associated with a lower risk of dialysis and kidney transplantation in people with bipolar disorder and chronic kidney disease. Study author Dr Balwinder Singh told Newsweek that the study provides the first evidence suggesting that, over the long term, GLP-1 receptor agonists may be renoprotective in that patient group. Singh also told the outlet that in the short term, starting a GLP-1 receptor agonist in patients taking lithium may increase the risk of lithium toxicity if lithium levels, renal function and hydration status are not carefully monitored.

Back on the consumer side, not every trend has that kind of research behind it. indiatoday.in reports that some users are experimenting with smaller-than-recommended doses of GLP-1 drugs to curb hunger, manage side effects and maintain weight loss. The outlet reports that doctors say the science behind microdosing remains limited, raising questions about its safety, effectiveness and long-term benefits. indiatoday.in notes that microdosing has no established clinical definition or standardised treatment protocol.

You can read the full reporting at HuffPost, the New York Post, EUROPE SAYS, Newsweek and indiatoday.in for more on each of these stories. Each outlet goes deeper into the details than a roundup can cover.

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OpenAI has acquired Orchestra Bio, and Foreign Policy Journal reports the move is meant to strengthen Rosalind's life sciences capabilities, which it says benefits pharma groups like Novo Nordisk that already use the platform. BioSpectrum India reports that a Lancet trial published in May 2026 found weekly semaglutide significantly reduced heavy drinking over 26 weeks in 108 adults. SheKnows reports that in a Phase 2 trial called ZUPREME-1, published in September 2026, participants on the highest dose of petrelintide lost up to about 10% of their starting weight after 42 weeks, compared with 1.7% for placebo.

Foreign Policy Journal reports that Novo Nordisk has deepened its reliance on artificial intelligence in drug discovery by integrating OpenAI's Rosalind model into its core research and development operations. The outlet reports the Orchestra Bio acquisition targets key areas of pharmaceutical R&D, including target identification, molecule design, and trial analytics tied to Novo Nordisk's active pipeline. According to Foreign Policy Journal, the deal reinforces Novo Nordisk's broader effort to industrialize discovery work around obesity and cardiometabolic treatments, moving beyond its existing GLP-1 portfolio.

BioSpectrum India's piece on repurposing GLP-1 drugs for alcohol use disorder (AUD) looks at earlier research. The outlet reports that the first randomised, placebo-controlled trial of semaglutide in AUD, published in JAMA Psychiatry in 2025, enrolled 48 adults. It reports that a larger trial, published in the Lancet in May 2026, studied 108 adults with moderate-to-severe AUD and obesity, and found that weekly semaglutide significantly reduced heavy drinking over 26 weeks. BioSpectrum India also notes that one analysis reported GLP-1 drug use was associated with 74% lower odds of AUD compared with non-users.

The Markets Daily published its own figures on October 24, 2026. It reports that Altimmune, which is developing pemvidutide, a GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist, has a consensus price target of $14.33.

There was also trial coverage of a drug outside the GLP-1 class. According to SheKnows, results published in September 2026 found that people taking petrelintide lost weight with fewer of the digestive side effects that can derail GLP-1 treatment, though nausea was still more common than on placebo. The outlet reports that after 42 weeks, participants on the highest dose had lost up to about 10% of their starting weight, compared with 1.7% for those on placebo. SheKnows notes the trial, called ZUPREME-1, was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 dose-finding trial funded by Zealand Pharma, the maker of petrelintide, and that petrelintide is not yet approved by the FDA and the results still need to be reproduced in further trials.

Medical News Today's coverage of the same trial reports that participants taking petrelintide lost up to 9.8% of their body weight over 28 weeks, with gastrointestinal side effects similar to placebo. The outlet describes petrelintide as an investigational, or experimental, drug. It reports the phase 2 trial involved 485 participants with overweight or obesity and no history of diabetes. According to Medical News Today, researchers found that those taking petrelintide experienced similar gastrointestinal tolerability to the placebo group.

You can read the full details on Novo Nordisk's AI expansion at Foreign Policy Journal, the semaglutide and alcohol research at BioSpectrum India, and the petrelintide trial coverage at SheKnows and Medical News Today. The Markets Daily has the complete figures on Altimmune, for anyone tracking the stock.

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Eli Lilly broke ground Thursday on a $5 billion manufacturing facility in Goochland County, 12onyourside.com reports. STAT reports that telehealth startups Quel, Livelyhood and Choose Your Horizon are marketing off-label GLP-1 prescriptions to people struggling with substance use.

STAT reports that Quel, Livelyhood and Choose Your Horizon are marketing off-label prescriptions of GLP-1 obesity drugs to people struggling with substance use. According to STAT, these drugs are showing promise as treatments for addiction, particularly alcohol use disorder, and some telehealth companies are not waiting for the FDA to weigh in. STAT also reports that the companies are sometimes offering compounded versions that have not been approved by regulators.

CBS News reports that more Americans are now taking GLP-1 drugs to lose weight than to treat diabetes and the other conditions the medications were originally prescribed for. The outlet cites EY-Parthenon research showing that roughly 54% of people taking semaglutide drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy use them to lose weight, overtaking the share who use them for other medical reasons. CBS News also reports that 63% of GLP-1 users say they have reduced their consumption of sweet snacks, while 57% say they eat fewer salty snacks, according to the same research.

12onyourside.com reports that Eli Lilly broke ground Thursday on a $5 billion manufacturing facility in Goochland County's West Creek area. The outlet reports the facility is expected to bring approximately 1,800 construction jobs to the region, followed by 650 permanent positions once manufacturing operations begin. According to 12onyourside.com, the Goochland project is part of Eli Lilly's broader $50 billion commitment to expand pharmaceutical manufacturing in the United States, and the company's rapid growth has been fueled in part by demand for Mounjaro and Zepbound. The outlet reports the company expects construction to be completed by 2030.

Aol.com reports that a Trump administration agreement last year with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk lowered the cost of Ozempic and Wegovy to between $150 and $350 per month, down from roughly $1,000 per month.

Fool.com reports that Eli Lilly's FY2025 revenue reached roughly $65.2 billion, fueled by a 45% year-over-year increase in sales. The outlet reports that revenue is expected to climb more than a third in 2026, to $88.7 billion, with close to $31 billion in net income.

You can find the full details on the off-label marketing story at STAT, the usage shift at CBS News and Aol.com, the Goochland groundbreaking at 12onyourside.com, and Eli Lilly's financial outlook at Fool.com.

Originally published on GLP-1 Nation.

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The Los Angeles Times reports that Apothecary Pharma, a compounding pharmacy, voluntarily recalled 22 vials of tirzepatide injections last month, and that the recall classification was updated this month to Class II. There is also news from the weight loss pipeline. Fool.com reports that Novo Nordisk announced a post hoc analysis of a Phase 3 trial showing CagriSema produced almost 25% mean weight loss in women, compared with 3% for placebo, in an ideal where everyone takes it as directed.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Apothecary Pharma, a compounding pharmacy, voluntarily recalled 22 vials of tirzepatide injections last month due to a lack of assurance of sterility, according to the official announcement. The newspaper reports that the recall classification was updated this month to Class II, meaning exposure to the product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences. The FDA sent Apothecary Pharma a warning letter in December 2025 citing serious deficiencies in its sterile manufacturing practices. The Los Angeles Times also notes that U.S. inspectors found egregious conditions at two Chinese factories making key components for compounded GLP-1 drugs, including black mold and "gross contamination" at one plant.

The next item is a clinical trial result for CagriSema. Fool.com reports that at The Menopause Society's annual meeting on Tuesday, Novo Nordisk announced a post hoc analysis of a Phase 3 trial showing CagriSema produced an overall mean weight loss of almost 25% among all 2,309 women in the study, compared with 3% for placebo. The outlet notes the figures are based on an ideal where all patients regularly use the drug as directed. Fool.com also reports that in Novo Nordisk's head-to-head Redefine 4 trial against Zepbound's molecule tirzepatide, tirzepatide showed similar or slightly higher efficacy, reaching nearly 26% at the maximum dose. The site adds that weekly U.S. prescriptions for Zepbound overtook those for Wegovy at the start of 2025, with Eli Lilly's drug continuing to hold a commanding lead.

A second outlet reported the same data from a market angle. Finance.Yahoo.com reports that Novo's CagriSema achieved a 25% weight reduction at 68 weeks in adult women, compared with just 3% for placebo, with consistent results across menopausal stages. The outlet reports that analysts expect the drug to generate $11.84 billion in obesity sales by 2028, according to a consensus estimate compiled by FactSet. Finance.Yahoo.com also reports that a European Medicines Agency panel backed Eli Lilly's oral GLP-1 pill, Foundayo (orforglipron), for both obesity and type 2 diabetes in October 2026.

The news also includes a collaboration in Abu Dhabi. Gdnonline.com reports that Eli Lilly and Mubadala Bio have announced a strategic collaboration to advance localised packaging and logistics of Lilly's GLP-1 medicines in Abu Dhabi. The outlet notes that the Emirates Drug Establishment approved Foundayo (orforglipron) for chronic weight management on April 3, 2026, making the UAE the second country in the world to register the medicine. It also reports that in Abu Dhabi, the treatment was introduced for eligible patients under the Personalized Weight Management Program, launched by the Department of Health and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre in June 2025.

Another outlet added detail on where that work will happen. Econotimes.com reports that the collaboration, announced Oct. 20, calls for activities to be introduced in phases, subject to technical, quality and regulatory requirements. The outlet reports that the work will use a 125,000-square-meter site in KEZAD that comprises packaging and warehousing facilities.

If you want the full details, the Los Angeles Times has the recall report, and Fool.com and Finance.Yahoo.com both carry the CagriSema data. Gdnonline.com and Econotimes.com have more on the Eli Lilly and Mubadala Bio collaboration in Abu Dhabi.

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CNBC reports that in an analysis of roughly 2,300 women with obesity or overweight, conducted after a late-stage trial, CagriSema was associated with 25% weight loss on average at 68 weeks compared with 3% with placebo. That is the headline, but the day also brought sales and market news, plus coverage of a September recall. Finance.yahoo.com reports that Zepbound captured nearly 60% of total prescriptions in the U.S. branded obesity market by the end of the second quarter. There is more below.

CNBC reports that Novo said on Tuesday, October 20, that CagriSema showed 25% weight loss on average among adult women in a new analysis conducted after a late-stage trial. CNBC reports that in an analysis of roughly 2,300 women with obesity or overweight, conducted after a late-stage trial, CagriSema was associated with 25% weight loss on average at 68 weeks compared with 3% with placebo. CNBC reports that CagriSema, a combination of semaglutide and another drug called cagrilintide that targets the amylin pathway, is not yet approved. CNBC reports a launch is expected early next year.

Newstalkzb.co.nz reports that a Rabobank report found GLP-1 weight-loss medications were accelerating demand for protein, with United States surveys suggesting nearly one in eight adults has used a GLP-1 medication for weight loss in recent years. Newstalkzb.co.nz reports that the same report found tight global beef and sheepmeat supply will mean positive prices in the near term, but longer-term value will depend on market diversification, customer relationships and reliable delivery.

Nzherald.co.nz reports that Corkran expected these conditions to continue for two to three years, noting rising input costs and volatility were also expected to remain. Next, prescription and sales figures from Eli Lilly.

Finance.yahoo.com reports that Zepbound captured nearly 60% of total prescriptions in the U.S. branded obesity market by the end of the second quarter, while Mounjaro continued to gain ground in the U.S. type 2 diabetes market. Finance.yahoo.com reports that the two drugs generated $27.7 billion in combined sales in the first half of 2026, up approximately 88% year over year and accounting for about 65% of Eli Lilly's total revenues. Finance.yahoo.com reports that investors will closely monitor that performance when Lilly reports third-quarter results on October 29, 2026. Not every GLP-1 headline was about growth.

Medicaldaily.com reports that Houston RX LLC later recalled 64 vials of compounded tirzepatide with niacinamide because of a lack of assurance of sterility. Medicaldaily.com reports that an August inspection produced a Form 483 listing 14 observations, including exposed skin during sterile work, reversed cleanroom air pressure, microbial growth in a clean hood, unsterilized equipment, possible mold near the cleanroom, and research-grade ingredients. Medicaldaily.com reports that, according to FDA enforcement records summarized in the nonprofit MedShadow Foundation's roundup of recent compounded GLP-1 drug recalls, Houston RX began recalling 64 two-milliliter vials of tirzepatide-niacinamide 20 mg/2 mg per mL on September 25. That recall is specific to one pharmacy's compounded product.

You can find the full analysis write-up at CNBC, the Rabobank report coverage at Newstalkzb.co.nz and Nzherald.co.nz, the Eli Lilly prescription numbers at Finance.yahoo.com, and the recall details at Medicaldaily.com. Each outlet carries more detail than fits into this summary.

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Dailykos.com reports that in the TRIUMPH-2 Phase III trial, people with a BMI of 35 or higher lost an average of 21.9% of their body weight on retatrutide's 12 mg dose after 80 weeks. AOL.com reports that retatrutide targets a Q1 2027 U.S. filing and anchors the bull case of $1,700 per share for Eli Lilly stock. Medicaldaily.com reports that in a study of outcomes after surgery among more than two million adults, about 7% were taking a GLP-1 drug.

Dailykos.com reports that the TRIUMPH-2 Phase III trial studied retatrutide, an experimental once-weekly injection being developed to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes. The outlet reports that 1,152 adults living with both obesity and type 2 diabetes took part over 80 weeks of injections. Dailykos.com reports that what sets retatrutide apart from semaglutide (Wegovy), which targets one hormone, and tirzepatide (Zepbound), which targets two, is its ability to activate three hormone receptors at once. The money side of that story is getting attention as well.

AOL.com reports that retatrutide targets a Q1 2027 U.S. filing and anchors the bull case of $1,700 per share for Eli Lilly stock. The outlet reports that in Q2, revenue rose 47.67% to $22.97 billion, beating the $20.69 billion estimate, while EPS of $8.38 exceeded the $6.58 forecast. AOL.com reports that management raised 2026 revenue guidance to $85 billion to $87 billion. The outlet also reports that Novo Nordisk's planned 50% Wegovy price cut in 2027 poses a risk, but Lilly's 60% volume growth already outpaces competitor pricing pressure, and that the 24/7 Wall St. price target for Eli Lilly is $1,478.22 over the next 12 months. Lilly isn't the only company in this market.

Fool.com reports that in a Phase 3 study conducted in China, olatorepatide led to a mean weight loss of up to 19% over 48 weeks. Fool.com names Regeneron Pharmaceuticals as one of the companies it highlights in the weight loss market. Fool.com also reports that in a Phase 2 study, trevogrumab, administered alongside Novo's semaglutide, led to lean mass preservation of up to 42.5% compared with just 7.3% in patients receiving semaglutide plus placebo. The outlet reports that in the second quarter, Regeneron's revenue increased by 17% year over year to $4.3 billion. Medscape.com also has guidance on lab work for patients on these drugs.

Medscape.com reports that initial testing should include A1c and fasting glucose, creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate, liver enzymes, and a lipid profile. The outlet reports that although GLP-1 drugs rarely harm the kidneys directly, dehydration can reduce kidney blood flow and trigger acute kidney injury, particularly when treatment starts or the dose increases, according to June 2026 clinical data. Medscape.com also reports that for patients with hypertension or type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association also recommends a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio to help detect early kidney stress. Another study looked at outcomes after surgery.

Medicaldaily.com reports that out of 2,028,601 patients studied, about 7%, or 145,610, were taking a GLP-1 drug. The outlet reports that after matching users with similar nonusers, GLP-1 use was linked with 11% lower odds of major cardiovascular complications, defined as heart attack, heart injury, stroke, or death. Medicaldaily.com reports that major heart-related complications occurred in 1.0% of GLP-1 users and 1.1% of nonusers, while postoperative infections occurred in 4.9% and 5.3%, according to figures reported by Newsweek.

You can find the full details on retatrutide's trial results and Eli Lilly's outlook at dailykos.com and aol.com, the olatorepatide, trevogrumab and Regeneron figures at fool.com, the lab testing guidance at medscape.com, and the surgical outcomes study at medicaldaily.com.

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Novo Nordisk is being sued by the Engel family, and Ladbible reports that a 63-year-old retired truck driver from Maryland is legally blind after being prescribed Ozempic for diabetes in 2023. Insider Monkey reports that Eli Lilly's stock returned 36.37% over the six months ending October 15. And the University of California reports that a new study found semaglutide slowed the pace of biological aging by 9% in adults with HIV.

Ladbible reports that the Maryland man, a 63-year-old retired truck driver, is now legally blind after being prescribed Ozempic for his diabetes in 2023. The outlet reports that he sought testing at The John Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute and was subsequently diagnosed with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), otherwise known as an eye stroke. Ladbible also reports that the Engel family is now suing Novo Nordisk, alleging the company did not warn patients and doctors about potential health risks connected to Ozempic. That lawsuit is an allegation, and Ladbible's report does not describe any court ruling on it.

A different kind of story looks at aging in a laboratory setting. Foreign Policy Journal reports, in an article published October 18, that a government-funded study found the GLP-1 drug semaglutide extended lifespan in older, healthy mice by tempering the detrimental effects of aging. The outlet cites the NIH press release, which says that compared with a control group, mice treated with the drug showed improved muscle and cognitive function. These are animal results, not findings about people.

A separate study turned to people rather than animals. The University of California, in a post published October 17, reports that a new study provides the first randomized, placebo-controlled clinical evidence that semaglutide slows the accumulation of biological aging markers in the DNA of adults with HIV. The university reports that the drug slowed the pace of biological aging by 9%, as measured by the DunedinPACE epigenetic clock. According to the University of California, participants treated with semaglutide showed a broad pattern of slower biological aging across epigenetic clocks linked to inflammation and blood, brain, heart, kidney, liver and metabolic health.

Not every GLP-1 story is about a lab or a courtroom. The South African reported on October 16 that drugmakers are urging law enforcement to crack down on illegal weight-loss drugs being sold in South Africa. The outlet reports that Nicolaou singled out retatrutide, an experimental obesity drug still in clinical trials, and said it is being sold openly in South Africa by social media influencers, gym instructors and hairdressers. According to The South African, the warning came as industry leaders, regulators and law enforcement met at a multi-stakeholder roundtable on counterfeit medicines in Pretoria on Wednesday, October 14.

On the business side, Insider Monkey reports that Eli Lilly's stock returned 36.37% over the six months ending October 15. The outlet reports that Mounjaro and Zepbound continue to drive most of Lilly's growth, while the company is also looking to expand its reach with oral drugs, international markets and treatments beyond obesity. Insider Monkey also reports that Eli Lilly is investing an additional $4.5 billion in its Indiana facilities, and that the number of hedge funds holding the stock increased to 152 from 132 in Q1.

You can find the full details on the Ozempic lawsuit at Ladbible, the mice aging study at Foreign Policy Journal, and the HIV study at the University of California's site. The South African has more on the retatrutide concerns in South Africa, and Insider Monkey has more on Eli Lilly's stock performance.

Originally published on GLP-1 Nation.

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Novo Nordisk has warned that thousands of its insulin pens, stolen from a Dutch wholesaler, could be sold online as weight loss medication, according to nltimes.nl in a report published October 17. That is not the only safety story making news. The New York Post reported on October 16 that the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System received reports of two deaths from bootleg versions of a weight loss drug. And on the regulatory side, thenews.com.pk reports the European Medicines Agency's committee recommended approval of Eli Lilly's weight-loss pill Foundayo on Friday, October 16.

nltimes.nl reports that Novo Nordisk warned the stolen pens could be sold online as weight loss medication, but they contain insulin rather than semaglutide, the active ingredient in weight-loss drugs. The company said using such medication without having diabetes can cause dangerously low blood sugar, according to nltimes.nl. nltimes.nl also reports that earlier this year, a person fell into a coma for several hours after using what was described as an insulin pen.

The New York Post reports that the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System received reports of two deaths from bootleg versions of an unapproved weight loss drug. The first death, which occurred in July, involved a 41-year-old woman with obesity who suffered cardiac arrest, according to the New York Post. The outlet also reports that, according to Public Citizen, at least 14 people have been hospitalized after taking gray-market versions of retatrutide. The New York Post notes the company plans to submit retatrutide for FDA approval in early 2027, and that the FDA's review process could take up to a year before the drug reaches the market, if approved.

Away from safety concerns, WIS10 reports that more Americans are choosing weight loss injections over bariatric surgery, according to a new study. That study, published in JAMA Network Surgery, found GLP-1 prescriptions rose 24% between 2018 and 2025, WIS10 reports. Over the same period, national bariatric surgery use in 2025 was slightly less than half of its 2022 peak, according to WIS10. The study used health records of nearly 20 million patients with severe obesity and found nearly 95% of them received no treatment, WIS10 reports.

On the drug development side, aol.com reports that Eli Lilly earned approval for Onswik, a diabetes medicine, in September. The outlet also reports that in one Phase 3 study, retatrutide led to an average weight loss of up to 28.3% over 80 weeks. Earlier this year, Eli Lilly noted that 80% of prescriptions for Foundayo were for patients who had never taken GLP-1 medicines before, according to aol.com.

Lilly's oral obesity pill is also moving through European regulators. thenews.com.pk reports that the European Medicines Agency's committee on Friday, October 16, recommended approval of Eli Lilly's weight-loss pill Foundayo. This is a recommendation, not a final approval. The outlet reports that the committee's approval recommendation came after clinical trials showed patients lost up to 11% of their body weight. thenews.com.pk also reports that the EMA recommended a marketing approval for Foundayo for weight management and the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults.

You can find the full reporting on these stories at nltimes.nl, the New York Post, WIS10, aol.com, and thenews.com.pk. Each outlet has more detail than fits in a single roundup.

Originally published on GLP-1 Nation.

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Eli Lilly shares climbed 3.6% on Thursday, landing the company on Investor's Business Daily's Big Cap 20 best stocks list. The New York Post reports that FDA inspectors found mold and bug infestations at two Chinese factories making GLP-1 drug components. Fox News reports that a Maryland man named Engel has sued Novo Nordisk, alleging the company failed to warn that Ozempic could cause vision loss.

That climb helped push Lilly onto a list of stocks IBD flagged as top performers this week, with the outlet's headline crediting Lilly as leading 19 stocks to best stock lists. Investor's Business Daily also reported that BeOne Medicines jumped 6.4% the same day, landing a spot on the flagship IBD 50. The outlet noted that its top-performing stock lists had just been updated. There's also news today about where some GLP-1 ingredients are actually made.

Those FDA findings come from an inspection that the New York Post describes as showing gross contamination at two factories in China that make components for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. According to the Post, citing Bloomberg, both facilities are run by compounding pharmacies that produce semaglutide and tirzepatide for black-market versions of the drugs not approved for sale by safety regulators. The Post reports that both companies were placed on the FDA's import list, meaning their products could be confiscated at the border. A separate report cited by the Post found that staff at Nanjing Chengong Pharmaceutical had been buying active ingredients from other factories and applying their own company's seal of approval without reviewing testing and safety documentation. Coverage questions are also in the news today.

Vox.com reports that as of 2026, roughly two thirds of private employer plans, which insure half of Americans, were covering GLP-1 medications for weight loss to treat obesity. The outlet also reports that at least 10 percent of employer plans currently covering GLP-1s for weight loss say they are likely to drop that coverage in 2027. Vox cites a separate report from the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission finding that the number of commercially insured people in the state taking a GLP-1 drug fell by 50 percent between 2025 and the first quarter of 2026 as private coverage began to decline. According to Vox, companies including PepsiCo, Starbucks, and Lowe's are reportedly eliminating or reducing their coverage, and an analysis from Blue Cross Blue Shield Kansas concluded that covering GLP-1s for weight loss raised average employee health costs by $7,000 in the first year and another $4,200 in the second. Legal challenges are making headlines too.

Fox News reports that a Maryland man named Engel has filed a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk, alleging the company failed to adequately warn patients and doctors about the potential risk of vision loss from Ozempic. According to Fox News, Engel says the drug caused total vision loss, leaving him legally blind. The outlet reports that Engel is among hundreds of patients currently pursuing legal action against makers of GLP-1 medications, including Ozempic and Wegovy, over claims that the drugs caused NAION. Fox News notes that Novo Nordisk disputes that the medication causes NAION, stating that the available evidence does not establish a causal relationship between semaglutide and the eye condition. And overseas, growth forecasts are in focus.

financialexpress.com reports that Novo Nordisk forecasts 15 to 20 percent annual growth for GLP-1 drugs in India amid rising competition from cheaper versions. The outlet says competition intensified after semaglutide's patent expired in March, allowing domestic drugmakers to introduce lower-cost alternatives. According to financialexpress.com, Novo Nordisk has submitted applications for higher-dose semaglutide formulations, including a 2 mg dose for diabetes and a 7.2 mg dose for obesity, both under regulatory evaluation. The outlet also reports that Novo's oral semaglutide pill, approved specifically for obesity in the US, became available there in January 2026.

You can find the full reporting behind today's items at Investor's Business Daily, the New York Post, Vox.com, Fox News, and financialexpress.com. Each outlet has more detail on these stories if you want to read further.

Originally published on GLP-1 Nation.

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Ireland's health service is weighing whether to pay for more GLP-1 medications, according to the Irish Times. In South Africa, regulators are revising the rules on how pharmacies customise these medicines.

The Irish Times reports that the HSE is considering reimbursing more GLP-1 medications after receiving a number of applications. The outlet notes that in December 2025, the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics said Mounjaro was not cost-effective but that the HSE should consider reimbursing it if it could agree a price reduction with manufacturer Eli Lilly. According to the Irish Times, more than 45,000 people are getting Ozempic for free under the Long-Term Illness Scheme, with more than 8,000 receiving it under the medical card, and Saxenda remains the only GLP-1 therapy currently reimbursed for weight loss by the HSE.

In South Africa, the focus turns to how these medicines get made. Sundayworld.co.za reports that the country is revising its rules governing the customisation of medicines, including GLP-1 treatments for diabetes and weight loss, with health regulators warning pharmacies not to act as small-scale manufacturers. The outlet reports that the revised standards are expected to go before the council in February, with publication targeted for March. Sundayworld.co.za notes that the popularity of GLP-1 medicines such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound has fuelled growth in compounded versions, drawing scrutiny from regulators globally, and reports that a council representative named Tlala said the council was concerned pharmacies were compounding medicines in anticipation of demand rather than for specific patients.

The Irish Times has more on the HSE's review of GLP-1 reimbursement, and Sundayworld.co.za has the full report on South Africa's revised compounding rules.

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STAT News reports that a new trial, announced on Oct. 13, 2026, will enroll up to 1,200 people with alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder, or both, starting early 2027. Change is coming to another product too. MedPage Today reported on Oct. 13 that Novo Nordisk announced plans to discontinue its liraglutide injectable Saxenda in early 2027 due to declining sales. Fool.com reports a drug combination with tirzepatide produced more weight loss than tirzepatide alone in a trial, though discontinuation was also higher.

STAT News reports that a new trial, announced on Oct. 13, 2026, will test the real-world impacts of weekly semaglutide injections, focusing on factors like a person's involvement with the criminal justice system, employment, housing stability, and health care utilization. The study, set to begin in early 2027, will enroll up to 1,200 participants with alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder, or both, according to STAT News. STAT News also reports that a wave of clinical trials have begun to test the ability of GLP-1 weight loss drugs to quell various substance use disorders, with some promising results.

Attention also turned to a different kind of connection inside one company's own data. Yahoo Finance reported on Oct. 13, 2026 that Eli Lilly's TOGETHER PsO data pairing Taltz with Zepbound highlight a potential immunometabolic link between psoriasis and obesity. According to Yahoo Finance, the data strengthens the idea that cardiometabolic and immunology assets can work together, though it does not materially change the near-term focus on obesity and diabetes volumes or the key risk around GLP-1 pricing pressure and litigation exposure. Yahoo Finance also reports that one narrative about Lilly projects $118.9 billion in revenue and $50.1 billion in earnings by 2029, with some analysts assuming figures closer to $139 billion in revenue and $56 billion in earnings.

There's a product update worth noting as well. MedPage Today reported on Oct. 13, 2026 that Novo Nordisk announced plans to discontinue its liraglutide injectable Saxenda in early 2027 due to declining sales.

A guideline announcement also appeared in the same MedPage Today report from Oct. 13, 2026. MedPage Today reports that the World Health Organization announced its first obesity guidelines for children and adolescents, recommending against using weight-loss drugs or bariatric surgery in patients younger than 10 years of age.

Trial results reported by Fool.com on Oct. 12, 2026 point to a tradeoff between effect and tolerability. Fool.com reports that patients taking tirzepatide together with eloralintide, an experimental drug that targets the hormone amylin but not GLP-1, lost up to 23.3% of their weight after 48 weeks, compared with 14.8% for those on tirzepatide alone. The same report notes the discontinuation rate was as high as 27%, which Fool.com suggests may point to tolerability concerns.

You can find the full reporting at STAT News, Yahoo Finance, MedPage Today, and Fool.com. Each outlet has more detail than fits in one roundup.

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Walmart confirmed to CNBC on Tuesday, October 13, that it plans to cover more than 250 prescriptions at no cost to its employees in 2027, including Ozempic and Mounjaro for people with Type 2 diabetes after a new prior authorization. CBS News reports the FDA has received reports that two people died after taking bootleg versions of the experimental drug retatrutide, though the details are unverified. And ABC 17 News reports that GLP-1 medications appear to slow the body's aging processes, a sign the drugs could ultimately help people live longer.

Walmart, the biggest private employer in the U.S., will offer Novo's diabetes injection Ozempic and Eli Lilly's rival shot Mounjaro without charge for people with Type 2 diabetes after a new prior authorization, CNBC reports. CNBC reports Walmart plans to cover more than 250 prescriptions, including some insulin, inhalers and GLP-1s for diabetes, at no cost to its employees in 2027. The company also said in a statement that it is minimizing premium increases for employees, raising rates for its starting plan by $1.50 per pay period to $39.80.

MedPage Today reports that over 24 months of follow-up, there was no sustained or progressive change in anti-VEGF treatment after patients started a GLP-1 agonist, compared with those who did not. The study retrospectively analyzed data for two propensity-matched groups of 9,896 patients with DME, according to MedPage Today. MedPage Today also reports that AION occurred at an average age of 62.98 among GLP-1 agonist users versus 66.45 among non-users. Among second-eye events, 37.5% occurred within 3 months in GLP-1 agonist users versus 22.5% in non-users, and 56.8% versus 40.6% within 6 months, the outlet reports.

Fool.com reports that Eli Lilly announced in July that retatrutide achieved average weight loss of 22.6% over 80 weeks in a Phase 3 trial involving patients with obesity and established cardiovascular disease. According to Fool.com, Lilly plans to submit retatrutide for FDA approval in the first quarter of 2027. The outlet notes Lilly will report third-quarter earnings on Oct. 29, with the market paying particularly close attention to sales of Mounjaro and Zepbound.

ABC 17 News, carrying a CNN report, says GLP-1 medications for weight loss and diabetes appear to slow the body's aging processes, a sign the drugs could ultimately help people live longer. The outlet reports that studies have found GLP-1 drugs improve the health of many different parts of the body, lowering the risk of heart, kidney and liver disease and reducing sleep apnea and inflammation. ABC 17 News also reports that Duffin presented new data from Lilly's Surmount V trial, which randomly assigned more than 700 adults who were overweight but did not have diabetes to use either tirzepatide or semaglutide for 72 weeks, and that across different types of epigenetic clocks researchers saw an average change of between 1.1 and 0.7 years in biological aging. The outlet reports that by measuring changes to proteins in people using semaglutide, the company's scientists found it reduced the heart's biological age by two to four years compared with a placebo, and reduced the age of organs such as the lung, kidney, brain and pancreas by one to four years.

CBS News reports the FDA received reports in recent months that two people died after taking bootleg versions of an experimental weight-loss drug. According to CBS News, the first death reportedly occurred in July, when a healthcare professional told the FDA that a 41-year-old woman with obesity went into cardiac arrest. CBS News also reports that in September, the FDA received a report that a 49-year-old patient died after a licensed nurse convinced her to buy retatrutide from an online peptide vendor, and that she experienced severe dehydration, malnutrition and cardiac arrest. The outlet notes the cases appear to be the first public accounts in the U.S. alleging that unauthorized use of retatrutide, or products claiming to contain it, played a role in a patient's death, though the details aren't verified and it is unclear whether the drug was to blame.

You can find the full details on Walmart's benefit changes at CNBC, the eye-injection study at MedPage Today, the retatrutide trial results at Fool.com, the aging research at ABC 17 News, and the bootleg drug reports at CBS News.

Originally published on GLP-1 Nation.

Every Sunday, the weekly newsletter pulls the full week together: the news from GLP-1 Nation, the access updates from GLP1Laws, the latest GLP-1 Studio podcast episodes, and what changed in the Cozy Butter community.

Research presented by Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk reported that GLP-1 medications reversed biological aging by two to three years in overweight or diabetic patients, according to proteomic aging clocks. The New York Post reported on October 11, 2026 that the difference adds evidence the drugs may also be a longevity treatment.

Novo Nordisk conducted a study that measured blood from 10,052 people, half taking semaglutide and half on placebo, using proteomic clocks to assess biological aging. The New York Post also reported that GLP-1 drugs slowed aging by as much as four years in tests measuring heart proteins, though the effect varied depending on which type of aging clock was used.

The US agency ARPA-H is funding a $38 million study to determine whether semaglutide affects cognition, mobility and sensory acuity in healthy people over 60. That study is a question being asked, not a result. Separately, Fortune published a piece on October 10, 2026 about the Gila monster venom peptide that became the basis for the first GLP-1 medicine, which we covered in our previous edition. Fortune noted that the GLP-1 story shows how patents can reward discovery and push rivals to develop better drugs.

The aging research is still early and the results differed depending on the type of clock used.

Originally published on GLP-1 Nation.

Every Sunday, the weekly newsletter pulls the full week together: the news from GLP-1 Nation, the access updates from GLP1Laws, the latest GLP-1 Studio podcast episodes, and what changed in the Cozy Butter community.