Global Scans · Pharmaceuticals · Weekly Summary

• [New] Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk will launch its blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic in India this month, three sources familiar with the matter said, as it seeks to strengthen its foothold in the world's most populous nation. Economic Times
• [New] Two novel peptides derived from Protagonist's proprietary discovery platform are currently in advanced Phase 3 clinical development, with New Drug Application for icotrokinra submitted to the FDA in July and in the NDA submission for rusfertide expected by end of 2025. financialpost
• [New] The release of the European Medicines Agency's Annex 22 on artificial intelligence represents a seismic shift in how AI will be governed in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Forbes
• [New] The Department of Energy will build an AI-enabled platform to support research in areas such as energy, national security, and drug discovery. / USA MarketingProfs
• [New] The FDA will consider a supplemental new drug application for deucravacitinib for the treatment of adults with active psoriatic arthritis based on promising results from clinical trials. The Rheumatologist
• [New] With potentially as much as one quarter of all APIs sourced from China directly - or indirectly through India - U.S. pharmaceutical supply chains face a vulnerability that could have drastic consequences for the American healthcare system. Talking Logistics with Adrian Gonzalez
• [New] GLP-1 drug use was linked to a 0.77 adjusted hazard ratio for death and a higher likelihood of kidney transplant waitlisting. NYU Langone News
• [New] Virginia HB 2375 strengthens prescription drug price transparency by requiring Pharmacy Services Administrative Organizations to disclose reimbursement terms and fees to the pharmacies they represent. The Source on Healthcare Price and Competition
• [New] GSK's asthma medication, Trelegy Ellipta, will receive a 73% cut, and Xtandi, a prostate cancer drug, will be reduced by 48%. Alston & Bird
• [New] Alcohol and drug use disorders, self-harm and interpersonal violence together create a huge and growing burden of disease, with high disability and death rates, and trends projected to stay high up to 2040. Pragmatic Coders
• [New] Novo misses in Alzheimer's trial; Insurer shares rise on report Trump will unveil health policy proposal; Bayer's stroke drug succeeds in late-stage trial. MM+M - Medical Marketing and Media
• [New] The House Appropriations Committee influences federal marijuana policy by allocating federal funds, impacting the Drug Enforcement Administration's enforcement, and supporting research opportunities. ARCannabisClinic
• [New] In 2025, a collaboration between MIT researchers and the AI drug company Recursion produced a model called Boltz-2, which predicts not only the structure of proteins but also how well potential drug molecules will bind to their target. MIT Technology Review
• [New] U.S. pharmaceutical spending reached $806 billion in 2024, with 9% to 11% growth expected in 2025. The Real Economy Blog
• [New] The new deal with Trump will lower that to as little as $150 for Lilly's forthcoming weight loss pill, orforglipron, which is expected to soon be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Nasdaq
• [New] President Donald Trump's patent office is working at cross-purposes with the FDA, biosimilar makers charge, by narrowing the opportunities for companies that try to challenge the throngs of patents that brand-name drugmakers file to protect their products from competition. Health Care News for Insurance Brokers | J&R Report
• [New] Novo Nordisk could get the greenlight for oral Wegovy before Eli Lilly's orforglipron as it submitted its application to the US Food and Drug Administration earlier. Clinical Trials Arena
• [New] Drug tests in dogs and nonhuman primates will be reduced by 2030. MIT Technology Review
• [New] Five industries will see breakthrough applications by 2035 - Healthcare drug discovery, financial fraud detection, traffic optimization, material discovery, and supply chain management will be transformed through quantum-AI integration. TECH TICH | Technology Blogs, News & Product Reviews
• [New] HHS leadership unveils biosimilar development reform plans to lower drug pricing. / USA National Law Review
• If the reduced requirement for CES data can increase the number of available FDA-approved biosimilars, providers and patients will have more choices and the prices for both reference and biosimilar biological products may decrease. / USA Mintz
• The Trump Administration has just announced price agreements with pharmaceutical companies Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly that will make some GLP-1s more affordable for Americans, including people enrolled in Medicare. EatingWell
• If oral GLP-1 tablets are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, the lowest dose will cost $149. CNN

Last updated: 09 December 2025