STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Novo plans to expand its pipeline, early Alkermes ADHD data, and more

This is a STAT Pharmalittle roundup, with STAT reporter Andrew Joseph in London filling in for Mr. Pharmalot. He points readers to other STAT pieces, including Reed Jobs opining on the NIH budget and new trust-in-science reporter Nick Florko writing about how frustrating it is that modern medicine does not have all the answers.

The first headline is Novo Nordisk's effort to assure investors it can regain momentum in coming years. The company outlined plans to expand its pipeline and find new products it could sell more like consumer goods than traditional medicines, building off its obesity treatments. At its capital markets day in London, CEO Mike Doustdar said Novo would launch at least five multi-blockbusters by 2030 and deliver revenue growth on par with other major pharma firms. He presented a strategy of investing more in disease areas outside diabetes and obesity and said Novo 'will be more active within business development,' an acknowledgment of investor concerns that it was too reliant on its landmark GLP-1 drugs and needed to develop other products.

The second headline is early clinical data from Alkermes. Orexin agonists have been hailed for treating rare sleep disorders, but new data show for the first time that this new class of therapies may benefit people with ADHD. In a randomized Phase 1 study, Alkermes' drug ALKS 7290 was well tolerated and showed a signal of efficacy. Participants began with a median score of 39 on the Adult ADHD Investigator Symptom Rating Scale, indicating moderate to severe symptoms. After two weeks, those taking a high dose of 50 milligrams of ALKS 7290 experienced a 19-point reduction on the scale, indicating their symptoms had become mild. The data offer an early signal that orexin agonists could have a broader psychiatric use beyond rare sleep disorders. The full story is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers.