An obesity drug deep-dive, and peptides move mainstream

Elaine’s stories explore the boom in new obesity treatments, new drug payment models, the ways companies are affected by FDA changes, and the emerging psychedelics drug sector. She co-writes The Readout newsletter, and co-hosts STAT’s weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud. You can reach Elaine on Signal at elaineywchen.70.

Adam Feuerstein is a senior writer and biotech columnist, reporting on the crossroads of drug development, business, Wall Street, and biotechnology. He is also a co-host of the weekly biotech podcast The Readout Loud and author of the newsletter Adam’s Biotech Scorecard. You can reach Adam on Signal at stataf.54.

Can any of the new obesity medications in development stand out from the pack? Which company just broke records with its IPO? And will the Food and Drug Administration allow greater access to experimental peptides?

We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotech podcast.

Undark’s Sara Talpos joins the podcast to discuss her reporting on the peptide BPC-157, and how it’s jumped from a Croatian lab to bodybuilding forums on Reddit to the FDA. (STAT co-published Talpos’ articles; the second piece was supported by the Pulitzer Center). We also discuss the latest news in the life sciences, including obesity data from the American Diabetes Association meeting and a record-breaking IPO.

To read Sara’s articles, click here and here; for more information on AstraZeneca’s GLP-1 pill, go here; for more on Boehringer Ingelheim’s obesity candidate, go here; to read about Lilly’s new weight loss medication, go here; for more details on GSK’s acquisition of Nuvalent, go here; and for information on Johnson & Johnson’s Firefly Bio acquisition, go here.

Be sure to sign up for “The Readout LOUD” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.