Lilly, Novo could be first trillion-dollar health stocks: world’s largest sovereign wealth fund by Dulan Lokuwithana for SeekAlpha.com, 31 January 2024.
Weight loss drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk could be the first healthcare stocks to achieve the $1T mark in market capitalization, Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, said. LLY and NVO market Zepbound and Wegovy, the only FDA-approved medications for obesity, and their valuations have surged ~87% and ~65% over the past 12 months, to $612B and $487B, respectively, as investors have taken note of the weight loss frenzy.
Eli Lilly is the largest healthcare company in the U.S. by market capitalization, and Danish drugmaker Novo is Europe’s largest company.
Read more: Lilly, Novo could be first trillion-dollar health stocks
New Research Proves the Pancreas Can Regenerate by Ross Wollen for DiabetesDaily.com, 17 January 2024.
While most of your skin cells turn over within months, you also have brain cells that never have been and never will be replaced. The pancreas, like most other internal organs, is slow to regenerate and has a very limited ability to heal itself. But doctors have long suspected that the pancreas harbors the ability to regenerate the islet cells, which contain the insulin-producing beta cells. “The concept has been around for more than 100 years,” since even before the discovery of insulin, says Juan Dominguez-Bendala, PhD.
Dr. Dominguez-Bendala is the Director of Stem Cell & Pancreatic Regeneration and Research at the Diabetes Research Institute. His team, in a collaborative effort with his colleague Dr. Ricardo Pastori, recently published a report in Cell Metabolism that finally proves that the adult human body is capable of growing new beta cells:
“I think that this is very definitive. We’re looking at regeneration in the real thing, the real human pancreas. We see this happening in real time. It’s unequivocal.”
If pancreatic regeneration does occur naturally, it’s obviously not enough to substantially heal people with diabetes or pancreatitis. To make a difference, Dominguez-Bendala would have to find a way to accelerate and amplify the regeneration process. His secret ingredient may be a natural human growth factor named BMP7.
BMP7 is “like a fuel for stem cells across the body,” and Dominguez-Bendala wanted to see if it could have the same effect in the pancreas. The substance is well-studied and is already approved for an unrelated condition: “It’s already in clinical use. It regrows bone, and is used to fuse vertebrae when you have spinal surgery.”
Read more: New Research Proves the Pancreas Can Regenerate
Indigo develops device to make light work of diabetes management by Andy Furniere for Biovox.eu, 17 May 2022.
Indigo’s solution is finally doing away with using needles and replacing them with something entirely painless: light. The company’s method is a spectroscopic technique, using light to analyze the properties of a material that interacts with it. Indigo’s small device is implanted just below the skin of the belly, where it shines harmless light through the fluids between cells in the tissue. Depending on which colors of the light spectrum are absorbed, the sensor can measure how much glucose is present and transmit that information to a small portable receiver.
“Our device is a small chip on which we’ve assembled a complex optical system,” explained Indigo’s CEO Danaë Delbeke in an interview with Belgian newspaper De Tijd. “This system consists of all kinds of high-tech materials of which the effectiveness has been proven.” This innovative device will transfer the measurement data to an app on any smartphone or connected device, that will display glucose levels, show trends, and send out warnings in real-time. With the app, people’s data can also be efficiently analyzed by medical professionals.
The sensor is made to remain functional for about two years. The aim is not only to measure glucose, but also other important metabolites such as ketones, which is why it’s called a continuous multi-metabolite monitoring system (CMM).
Non-sugar sweeteners linked to alterations in gut, stool microbiome by Michael Monostra for Healio.com/endocrinology, 2 February 2024.
Adults who consume non-sugar sweeteners have differences in gut and stool microbiome compositions compared with those who do not consume non-sugar sweeteners, according to study findings published in iScience.
In an analysis of the duodenal luminal microbiome and stool microbiome of a small group of adults, microbial differences were observed both for adults who consumed non-sugar sweeteners with aspartame as well as those who consumed non-aspartame non-sugar sweeteners compared with controls. Additionally, there were some differences between the aspartame and non-aspartame groups.
“The alterations in microbial diversity and composition as well as microbial metabolic pathways identified in this study raise concerns regarding the potential impacts of non-sugar sweeteners on metabolic and gastrointestinal health,” said Ruchi Mathur, MD, endocrinologist and professor of medicine at Cedars-Sinai. “Patients and providers should be aware of these findings, and individuals may consider moderating their consumption of non-sugar sweeteners.”
Read more: Non-sugar sweeteners linked to alterations in gut, stool microbiome
U.S. govt. opens bids in Medicare drug price negotiations by Dulan Lokuwithana for SeekingAlpha.com, 1 February 2024.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has started sending the initial offers to companies selected for the first round of the Medicare drug price negotiation program. In August, the agency announced the first 10 Medicare Part D drugs chosen for pricing negotiations, a provision introduced as part of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022.
The list included blockbuster therapies from Bristol Myers, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, AbbVie, Johnson & Johnson), AstraZeneca, Novartis, Merck, Amgen, and Novo Nordisk. Leading drugmakers, including Merck and Bristol Myers, have already filed multiple lawsuits to challenge the legality of the program. However, all drugmakers selected for the program have already agreed to participate in negotiations. After receiving initial offers on Thursday, the companies will have 30 days to respond. If they disagree with the offers, Medicare will conduct three negotiation meetings until Aug. 1 before negotiated drug prices take effect in 2026.
PLEASE help me understand. WHY do they have TWO years to complete and implement these negotiations and changes???
Read more: U.S. govt. opens bids in Medicare drug price negotiations
Think Like A Pancreas… THE PODCAST was just released by Gary Scheiner, MS, CDCES and founder of Integrated Diabetes Services.
Developed and produced by the world-renowned team of clinicians at Integrated Diabetes Services, The Podcast provides a weekly update and critical review of hot topics specifically for people with diabetes who use insulin. Host Gary Scheiner MS, CDCES brings a guest expert to each podcast to cover everything from product reviews to innovative therapy options to fun and interesting things happening in the world of diabetes care.
Listen: Think Like A Pancreas… THE PODCAST
FREE Book Giveaway of Haidee Soule Merritt’s Insulin Surplus Zine: Possible Uses for the Insulin Surplus (IF there’s ever a cure for diabetes.
I still have several copies ($8.50 value, postage included), free for the asking, until I run out of ezines. It’s a fun, little booklet of cartoons about living with T1D … will make you giggle … and also makes a great gift at any T1D meetup or gathering!
What’s the catch? Please tell me why you’d love a copy. I’ll share your comments with Haidee … and I will mail a booklet to you, with postage paid! Please comment below or email me your mailing address: joanne@TheSavvyDiabetic.com.
Read the post: Savvy HUMOR: Haidee Merritt and the Talking Lancets PLUS a GIVEAWAY!
Please bring Think Like a Pancreas to Apple Podcasts!
i guess I am surprised that no other companies have exceeded 1 billion. Insulin has been very very good to me.
I received my cool little book, thank yo so much for thinking of me.