STAT+: Novo may be getting a better deal than expected with Medicare’s Bridge program

The item is a STAT News biotech newsletter/roundup led by a STAT+ exclusive titled 'Novo may be getting a better deal than expected with Medicare’s Bridge program.' The headline suggests Novo could receive better-than-anticipated terms under Medicare’s Bridge program, though the full analysis is behind STAT+’s paywall; the excerpt only includes subscription prompts and does not detail the specific terms or rationale. It also notes that reporter Elaine covers the boom in new obesity treatments, new drug payment models, FDA-related effects on companies, and the emerging psychedelics sector, and that she co-writes The Readout newsletter and co-hosts STAT’s weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud.

In the 'Need-to-know this morning' section, Roche reported a positive Phase 2 trial of enicepatide (previously known as CT-388) in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity. The drug helped patients lose weight and lower blood sugar. Roche already has two Phase 3 weight-loss studies ongoing and is planning to start another pivotal trial next year looking at blood sugar control and cardiovascular outcomes.

Celldex Therapeutics said its experimental treatment for chronic hives achieved the goals of two Phase 3 clinical trials. Ionis Pharma said an experimental therapy for a rare form of ALS, the RNA-based drug ulefnersen, prolonged survival and slowed disease progression in a Phase 3 clinical trial; the drug is licensed to the Japanese pharma company Otsuka.

Viking Therapeutics said in a Phase 2 trial that its injectable obesity candidate, initially tested as a weekly treatment, still looked to be efficacious after transitioning to every-other-week or monthly dosing, suggesting potential for less frequent maintenance dosing. The roundup also references Viking’s obesity drug Phase 2 results and Lexeo expanding beyond gene therapies, alongside the other biotech news and newsletter sign-up/paywall prompts.