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☆ Ad spending for obesity, diabetes drugs is soaring this year, as drugmakers shell out nearly $500 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Drugmakers spent nearly $500 million on advertisements for obesity and diabetes treatments in the U.S. during the first seven months of this year, up 20% from the same period a year ago, according to new data released Friday. The data, from advertising analytics firm MediaRadar, demonstrates the rush by companies to capture new customers after months of hype around Novo Nordisk 's diabetes drug Ozempic and weight loss counterpart Wegovy. Those drugs and similar treatments have soared in demand this year for their ability to help patients lose unwanted pounds. U.S. health-care providers wrote more than 9 million prescriptions for Ozempic, Wegovy, and other obesity and diabetes drugs during the last three months of 2022, up 300% from early 2020. The top four drugs advertised were Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, Wegovy and diabetes pill Rybelsus and Boehringer Ingelheim's own diabetes treatment Jardiance, which is set to face drug price negotiations with the federal Medicare program.

Persons: Doctor Thomas Horbach, Wegovy, Drugmakers, MediaRadar, Boehringer Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Novo Nordisk's Ozempic Locations: Germany, Munich, U.S

☆ Shares of biotech startup Structure Therapeutics surge more than 30% on promising obesity pill data
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of Structure Therapeutics rose more than 30% on Friday after the biotech startup's experimental obesity pill succeeded in a small early-stage trial. Structure said it plans to test its pill in two longer midstage trials as a treatment for diabetes and obesity. Structure's pill is part of the same class of drugs as Novo Nordisk 's blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic and weight loss counterpart Wegovy. Structure's pill could potentially compete with oral obesity drugs from Eli Lilly , Novo Nordisk and Pfizer , which are not approved in the U.S. yet. Novo Nordisk has a diabetes pill called Rybelsus, which has the same list price as Ozempic for a monthly package of 30 tablets.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Eli Organizations: Therapeutics, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer Locations: U.S

Accounts of suicidal thoughts linked to this class of drugs are drawing increasing scrutiny, including an investigation by European regulators announced in July. More than half of the narrative summaries describe suicidal thoughts appearing shortly after the person started the medicine or increased the dose. Wegovy’s U.S. prescribing label, produced with FDA approval, says suicidal thoughts or attempts have been reported in clinical trials for other weight-loss medicines. Sanofi's Acomplia, which never won U.S. approval, was withdrawn in Europe in 2008 after being linked to suicidal thoughts. She said she has not experienced any suicidal thoughts on that drug.

Persons: Dawn Heidlebaugh, Megan Jelinger, ”, Heidlebaugh, Eli Lilly, Thomas J, Moore, aren't, It’s, Novo, Dr, Erick Turner, Turner, Novo’s, drugmakers, Sanofi's, Sanofi, Contrave, John Amos, Lilly, Reuters weren’t, Lisa Wood, ” Wood, Sarah Sobol, you’re, Sobol, ’ ” Katherine, Jayson Chesnutt, Chesnutt, Robin Respaut, Chad Terhune, Maggie Fick, Ludwig Burger, Michele Gershberg, Brian Thevenot Organizations: REUTERS, Novo, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Reuters, FDA, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University, Novo Nordisk, U.S ., European Union, European Medicines Agency, U.S, Currax Pharmaceuticals, Vivus, Facebook, Thomson Locations: Findlay , Ohio, U.S, Ohio, Novo, Canada, Europe, Carolina, Buffalo , New York, North Carolina, Indiana

☆ Ozempic, Wegovy drug prescriptions hit 9 million, surge 300% in under three years
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. health care providers wrote more than nine million prescriptions for Ozempic, Wegovy and similar diabetes and obesity drugs during the last three months of 2022, according to a new analysis released Wednesday. Among the other drugs prescribed are Eli Lilly's diabetes drug Mounjaro and an older GLP-1 drug from Novo Nordisk called Saxenda, which isn't as effective for weight loss as Ozempic and Wegovy. Ozempic's list price tops $935 per monthly package, and its weight loss counterpart Wegovy is about $1,300. Other drugmakers are jockeying to capitalize on the budding weight loss industry. And analysts say Eli Lilly's Mounjaro has the potential to overtake drugs from Novo Nordisk after its approved in the U.S. for weight loss.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Eli, Elon Musk, Eli Lilly's Mounjaro Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Pharmacy, Health, National Institutes of Health Locations: Provo , Utah, U.S

☆ Will weight loss drugs lead to less food consumption? Here's what Walmart is saying
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

While there has been a huge gain, it is barely scratching the surface of the potential market. Some potential patients don't have coverage of the pricey medicines through their health insurance plans yet. (For example, those seeking to use GLP-1 drugs for obesity can't receive coverage if they are insured by Medicare as the federal health plan is not allowed to cover weight loss drugs.) Walmart told Bank of America that fiscal second-quarter sales benefited roughly 1% from GLP-1 drug sales volumes. Its stock has fallen 45% year to date on fears that these drugs will shrink the company's market potential.

Persons: John Rainey, Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, Eli Lilly, Morgan Stanley, Wells, Larry Biegelsen, Biegelsen, Daniel Lyons, Janus Henderson, Lyons, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Wall Street, Nordisk's Wegovy, Bank of, Walmart, Health, Novo Nordisk, Medicare, Drug, Bank of America, Janus, Janus Henderson Investors, CNBC Locations: U.S, GLP

☆ The disruptive effect of weight loss drugs like Ozempic could have surprising impacts on the stock market. Here are potential winners and losers.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The potential ripple effects of GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are far-reaching. These are the stock market's potential winners and losers of the fast-growing weight loss drugs. By contrast, typical weight loss without GLP-1 drugs is mostly driven by a reduction in fat, not muscle. AdvertisementAdvertisementFast-food chains and junk-food companiesMorgan Stanley surveyed 300 patients taking GLP-1 drugs and found that calorie intake dropped 20%-30% on a daily basis. AdvertisementAdvertisementBeer and tobacco companiesAnecdotes from patients taking GLP-1 drugs indicate that the drug helps curb certain addictive behaviors like smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Catalent, Fisher, McKesson, Baird, Jeff Johnson, Johnson, Morgan Stanley, Kreme, Morgan Stanley's, Phillip Morris Organizations: Service, Street, Novo Nordisk, JPMorgan, Nordisk, Bloomberg, Fitness, Nike, Inspire, Tandem Diabetes Care, KFC, Yum Brands, Anheuser, Busch, Molson Coors Locations: Wall, Silicon, GLP

☆ A fund manager at a $250 billion firm that aims to capture megatrends shares the top 10 stocks pulled from its 12 strategies
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Gertjan van der Geer, a senior investment manager at the firm, describes megatrends as large social, economic, political, environmental, or technological transformations that significantly impact the economy, society, cultures, or businesses. Additionally, five criteria must be met before Pictet creates a thematic fund, van der Geer said. When it comes down to picking the right basket of stocks, van der Geer noted that a company's fundamentals are key. And there are a few things that we are looking for in these companies," van der Geer said. And one of the key ways to improve our CO2 footprint globally is to reduce the unnecessary pollution," van der Geer said.

Persons: they're, Gertjan van der Geer, Pictet, van der Geer, It's, Van der Geer Organizations: Microsoft, Apple, Pictet, Management, Premium Brands, Security, Health, Schneider, Clean Energy, Nordisk, Asml, Roper Technologies, Kla Corp, Republic Services Locations: megatrends

☆ Contamination Is Found at Novo Nordisk Plant in U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Peter Loftus | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/health/pharma/contamination-is-found-at-novo-nordisk-plant-in-u-s-92bca9bf

Persons: Dow Jones

Benefit consultants from Mercer, Aon (AON.N) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW.O) see employer healthcare costs jumping 5.4% to 8.5% in 2024 due to medical inflation, soaring demand for costly weight-loss drugs and wider availability of high-priced gene therapies. Benefit consultants help design insurance plans for medium and large employers. About two-thirds of U.S. workers receive benefits through such plans.Insurers UnitedHealth (UNH.N), Centene (CNC.N), Cigna (CI.N) and Elevance (ELV.N), which manage employer insurance plans, declined to comment for this story. Of its projected 8.5% increase in employer healthcare costs for next year, Aon anticipates 1 percentage point coming from weight-loss drugs alone. Gene therapy treatment of just one employee could significantly raise costs for a company, consultants said.

Persons: Srdjan, Willis Towers Watson, Mercer, Marsh McLennan, Beth Umland, Aon, Novo's Ozempic, Eli Lilly's, Janet Faircloth, Jodi Picoult's, Khushi Mandowara, Leroy Leo, Caroline Humer, Bill Berkrot Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Reuters Graphics, Novo, Reuters, Employers, Thomson Locations: Ljubljana, Mercer, Aon, United States, Bengaluru

New anti-obesity drugs have the potential to transform public health, while obliterating demand for products and services from the medical, food and fitness industries. Drugs developed by Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) and Eli Lilly (LLY.N) appear to be the first truly effective diet treatments. In one clinical trial, patients taking Eli Lilly’s soon-to-be-launched weight-loss drug lost about 50 pounds (23 kg). Only about a third of those who started taking the drugs for obesity were still doing so a year later, according to one analysis. Yet even as Novo, Lilly and others see their addressable markets expand, some companies will see theirs shrink.

Persons: Lilly, George Frey, Eli Lilly, Eli Lilly’s, Novo, Wegovy, Kraft Heinz, Burger, LSEG, Michael Farrell, Zimmer Biomet, Smith, Peter Thal Larsen, Sharon Lam, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Pharmacy, REUTERS, Reuters, TAM, Drugs, Alpha, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Cadbury, Mondelez, Fortune Business, Burger King, KFC, Yum Brands, Centers for Disease Control, Milken Institute, BMJ, Novo, Inspire Medical Systems, Novo Nordisk’s, WW International, Fashion, Thomson Locations: Provo , Utah, U.S, New, United States, Lilly, England

☆ The risks to alcohol and food stocks from Ozempic-like weight loss drugs
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The rise of new anti-obesity medications could result in less alcohol consumption, impacting Club name Constellation Brands (STZ). The risk already seems to be playing out in food stocks with exposure to snacks and junk food. We don't think Constellation Brands stock will suffer the same fate as shares of leading snack food companies like J.M. Key points The increasing popularity of new diabetes/weight loss drugs could curtail consumer appetite for junk food and alcohol. Constellation Brands (STZ), the Club name behind the Mexican beers Corona and Modelo, should be able to weather any such headwind.

Persons: Eli Lilly, it's, Mills, Lilly, Jim Cramer, Mounjaro, Morgan, Morgan Stanley, AOMs, Jefferies, Jim Cramer's, Jim, Gabby Jones Organizations: Constellation Brands, Corona, Modelo, Pacifico, Nordisk, Ozempic, Club, Novo Nordisk, Brands, Conagra Brands, Constellation, Bud Light, Jefferies, JPMorgan, CNBC, Bloomberg, Getty Locations: U.S, Oro, Brooklyn Borough, New York

☆ Exclusive: U.S. FDA found lapses at Novo's main U.S. factory in May 2022 -report
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, U.S., August 29, 2020. A Form 483 is a type of agency report containing "observations" that FDA inspectors "deem to be objectionable". The FDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report, but usually does not comment on inspections. The report from the May 2022 inspection shows that FDA officials found the factory had failed to include one type of bacteria, abbreviated as B. cepacia, on its list of "objectionable organisms". Analysts at Barclays and Jefferies said in notes this week that, although investors may be concerned by news of potential manufacturing issues, they saw minimal impact on Novo's production of semaglutide.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Clayton, Jefferies, Steven Lynn, Maggie Fick, Josephine Mason, Mark Potter Organizations: Food and Drug Administration, FDA, REUTERS, Novo Nordisk, Reuters, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Barclays, Manufacturing, Thomson Locations: White Oak , Maryland, U.S, North America, Clayton , North Carolina

☆ Eli Lilly sues clinics allegedly selling knockoff versions of Mounjaro diabetes drug
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Eli Lilly on Tuesday sued 10 medical spas, wellness clinics and compounding pharmacies across the U.S. for allegedly selling cheaper, unauthorized versions of the company's diabetes drug Mounjaro. Eli Lilly specifically accuses the spas, clinics and compounding pharmacies of marketing and selling "compounded" drug products that claim to contain tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro. Compounded drugs are custom-made versions of a treatment that are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has not issued a warning about compounded versions of tirzepatide. However, Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy have all been in short supply in the U.S. since last year, according to the FDA's database.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Eli Lilly grapples, Ozempic Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Pharmacy, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, FDA Locations: Provo , Utah, U.S, Florida , Texas , Arizona, Georgia, Minnesota, South Carolina, Utah, Florida

[1/2] A box of Mounjaro, a tirzepatide injection drug used for treating type 2 diabetes and made by Lilly is seen at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, U.S. March 29, 2023. In four separate lawsuits filed in Florida and Texas federal courts, Eli Lilly is seeking orders barring Better Life Pharmacy, ReviveRX, Rx Compound Store and Wells Pharmacy Network from selling tirzepatide, and requesting unspecified damages. Lilly is the only company with U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to sell tirzepatide drugs. "Defendants use Lilly’s trademark to attract customers and generate revenues and profits, including by passing off as 'Mounjaro' their own unapproved compounded drugs purporting to contain tirzepatide, and doing so for a use for which Mounjaro is not approved, namely weight loss," Eli Lilly said in the lawsuits. However, the agency has said that depending on circumstances, compounded drugs can be made and distributed with fewer restrictions when the original drug appears on its drug shortages list, which Mounjaro currently does.

Persons: Lilly, George Frey, Eli Lilly, Ozempic, Mounjaro, Patrick Wingrove, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Pharmacy, REUTERS, Wells Pharmacy, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Novo Nordisk, U.S, FDA, Thomson Locations: Provo , Utah, U.S, Florida, Texas, Indianapolis, Arizona , Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, South Carolina, Utah

☆ Novo Nordisk shares fall after media report about quality lapses at U.S. plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Flags are seen outside Novo Nordisk headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, February 5, 2020. REUTERS/Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Novo Nordisk A/S FollowCOPENHAGEN, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) shares fell on Monday after financial news agency MarketWire reported that U.S. drug regulators had recently issued a report detailing quality control lapses at the group's Clayton, North Carolina plant, citing sources. Novo Nordisk declined to comment on the report, but said in an emailed statement that the site was "running and producing for the market". MarketWire did not specify when the FDA inspection occurred. According to the FDA, a Form 483 is a type of agency report containing "observations" that FDA inspectors "deem to be objectionable".

Persons: Jacob Gronholt, Pedersen, MarketWire, Clayton, Maggie Fick, Anna Ringstrom, Jan Harvey Organizations: Novo Nordisk, REUTERS, Reuters, FDA, Thomson Locations: Novo, Copenhagen, Denmark, Clayton, North Carolina

☆ Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk isn't just Europe's second-most valuable company. It is also singlehandedly boosting Denmark's economy.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ozempic-maker Novo Nordisk is Europe's second-largest company by market capitalization. It's also boosting Denmark's economy all on its own. AdvertisementAdvertisementNot only that, Novo Nordisk has also been propping up Denmark's economy all on its own. Jonas Petersen, an analyst at Denmark's statistics department, further told the AFP that the trend is "changing the picture of the economy." Denmark's statistics department and Danske Bank's Olsen did not immediately respond to requests from Insider for comment sent outside regular business hours.

Persons: It's, would've, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Elon Musk, Amy Schumer, they've, Las Olsen, Jonas Petersen, Bank's Olsen Organizations: Novo Nordisk, pharma, Service, Novo Nordisk's, Novo, Danske Bank, AFP, Nordisk Locations: Wall, Silicon, Europe

☆ Analysts predicted new obesity medicines would be blockbusters. Now they’re raising their forecasts
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Fernandez sees a total addressable market of $140 billion to support patients with obesity. He expects there is a potential for GLP-1 drugs to become as common and widely used, much like statins are used to lower cholesterol. Morgan Stanley's Flynn estimates a 30% share of the diabetes market would generate $109 billion on a worldwide basis for GLP-1 drugs. Layer in a 15% to 30% share of the obesity market and that equates to worldwide sales of $97.4 billion to $194.8 billion. Guggenheim's estimates also assume that oral GLP-1 drugs that are currently in development are able to come to market a few years from now.

Persons: Seamus Fernandez, Fernandez, Lilly, Eli Lilly, Morgan Stanley, Terence Flynn, Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, Insulet, Canaccord, William Plovanic, Plovanic, It's, Morgan Stanley's Flynn, Flynn, Novo, Michael Bloom Organizations: Wall, Novo, American Heart Association, Food and Drug Administration, Novo Nordisk, Iqvia, Disease Control Locations: GLP

The falling shares mean that Mr. Arnault (now worth about $195 billion, Forbes says) dropped to the second-richest person in the world in June, eclipsed by Elon Musk. Mr. Arnault has broadened LVMH beyond extravagant playthings into the world of experiences, acquiring over 50 grand hotels and resorts. Mr. Arnault’s changes mean he doesn’t have to retire next year as originally expected. The French media is full of headlines comparing the Arnaults to the Roys, the fictional family in the HBO series. There are TikTok videos explaining why the Arnaults are “the real ‘Succession’ family.” The family hates this talk, and takes pains to play down parallels to the show.

Persons: Arnault, Forbes, Elon Musk, LVMH, —, gobbling, Delphine, Dior Organizations: Denmark’s Novo Nordisk, HBO

☆ Novo Nordisk owner invests $290 million in energy transition fund
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FILE PHOTO-A coffee machine featuring Novo Nordisk logo is seen at the company headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, February 5, 2020. REUTERS/Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Novo Nordisk A/S FollowLONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The controlling shareholder in drugmaker Novo Nordisk on Thursday announced a major investment in a new energy transition fund as it expands its portfolio beyond health. Novo Holdings controls 76% of the votes in Denmark's Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), which became Europe's most valuable company last week on the back of soaring profits from its weight-loss drug Wegovy and type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic. Novo Holdings' capital to invest is burgeoning on Novo Nordisk's financial performance. Novo Holdings is wholly owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which lists its aims as providing "a stable basis for the commercial and research activities conducted by the companies within the Novo Group", of which Novo Nordisk is the largest, and supporting "scientific, humanitarian, and social purposes."

Persons: Jacob Gronholt, Pedersen, Morten Beck Jorgensen, " Jorgensen, Maggie Fick, Amanda Cooper, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: Novo Nordisk, REUTERS, drugmaker Novo Nordisk, Novo Holdings, Denmark's, Denmark's Novo Nordisk, Holdings, Glentra Capital, Glentra, Reuters, Novo, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Thomson Locations: Copenhagen, Denmark, drugmaker Novo, Denmark's Novo, Glentra Capital

☆ Timeline for supply limits on Novo Nordisk weight-loss drug unclear, US FDA says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A 0.25 mg injection pen of Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug Wegovy is shown in this photo illustration in Oslo, Norway, August31, 2023. REUTERS/Victoria Klesty/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 12 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it was not clear when supply of lower doses of Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) Wegovy would normalize, backtracking from its earlier estimates to resume supply of the popular weight-loss drug this month. The FDA, in its drug shortage list, listed the 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg doses of the drug with limited availability and that the duration of shortage was "to be decided", while the larger doses of 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg were still available. The drug was approved for chronic weight management in people with obesity in 2021. Reporting by Leroy Leo in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini GanguliOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Victoria Klesty, Lars Fruergaard Jorgense, Leroy Leo, Shinjini Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, FDA, Novo Nordisk, Thomson Locations: Oslo, Norway, August31, Victoria, U.S, Danish, Bengaluru

☆ Investors can find income in these quality stocks, Berenberg says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Dividends may be harder to find these days, and that means investors should be discerning as they hunt for an income strategy, according to Berenberg. In fact, as the economy slows, investors can turn to dividend stocks to play defense. The largest company, Exxon Mobil , has a 12-month forward dividend yield of 3.3% and a surplus free-cash-flow yield of 4%, Stubbs said. It has a 4.7% 12-month forward dividend yield and a surplus free-cash-flow yield of 2.2%. It has a 12-month forward dividend yield of 5.8% and a 5% surplus free-cash-flow yield, according to Berenberg.

Persons: Jonathan Stubbs, Stubbs, Berenberg, Darren Woods, CNBC's, Eli Lilly, Ford, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: P Global Market Intelligence, Exxon Mobil, Pfizer, Food and Drug Administration, Novo Nordisk, Ford Locations: U.S, Canada

☆ Here's why Jim Cramer likes J.M. Smucker's plan to buy the maker of Twinkies
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | In Kevinstankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Smucker 's (SJM) decision to buy Twinkie maker Hostess Brands (TWNK) in a deal valued at $5.6 billion. "I like the deal, if only just because I like this channel for Smuckers," Cramer said on "Squawk on the Street." Hostess Brands stock, meanwhile, surged nearly 19%, to more than $33 per share. Reuters reported in August that multiple major food brands such as General Mills (GIS) and Oreo owner Mondelez International (MDLZ) had shown interest in acquiring Hostess. Perhaps the "biggest worry" about acquiring Hostess Brands is the increasing popularity of weight-loss drugs known as GLP-1 agonists, and their potential impact on consumer food preferences, Cramer acknowledged.

Persons: CNBC's Jim Cramer, J.M, Smucker, Cramer, Jim Cramer's, Mills, Morgan Stanley, Eli Lilly, — Organizations: Hostess Brands, Reuters, Mondelez, Hostess, Cramer's Charitable Trust, CNBC, Novo Nordisk, Cramer's Charitable Locations: U.S

☆ Bet against America's love for junk food? Morgan Stanley sees tough times ahead for snack stocks like Hostess
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Smucker 's plan to buy Twinkies -maker Hostess Brands is a risky move, if Morgan Stanley's latest research is correct. The firm revisited its August call that a new class of weight loss medications would hamper growth at some food and beverage companies . "Across our coverage, Numerator Insights data highlight that most center-store packaged food companies slightly over-index to consumers with obesity," Kaufman said. Hostess stock soared 19% on the news. Other food stocks with higher exposure to customers with obesity include Conagra , Kraft Heinz and Smucker, the report said, citing the Numerator data.

Persons: Smucker, Morgan Stanley's, Ding Dongs, Morgan Stanley, Pamela Kaufman, Atkins, Nordisk's Wegovy, Kaufman, Kraft Heinz, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Hostess Brands, Centers for Disease Control, Nordisk's Locations: U.S, GLP

☆ Ozempic, Wegovy may curb drinking, smoking and other addictive behaviors – here's what we know
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Jaap Arriens | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesHeather Le Biller shed 9 pounds within the first week of taking Novo Nordisk 's blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic – and then even more as she continued treatment. That means it could take years before the Food and Drug Administration and other regulators worldwide approve drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy as addiction treatments. Jerlhag and her colleagues at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden have studied the effect of GLP-1s on addictive behaviors for more than a decade. "The mechanism in the brain that regulates overeating is important in regulating addictive behaviors as well," Leggio told CNBC. Still, NIDA's Leggio advises against using GLP-1s off-label to reduce addictive behaviors, "simply because there's not enough evidence in humans that they work."

Persons: Jaap Arriens, Heather Le Biller, Ozempic –, Le Biller, they're, Angela Fitch, Brandon Bell, Dr, Lorenzo Leggio, semaglutide, –, Eli Lilly, pharmacologist, Jerlhag, George Frey, NIDA's, Leggio, Steven Batash, Batash, NIDA's Leggio Organizations: Nurphoto, Novo Nordisk, CNBC, Wegovy, Obesity Medicine Association, and Drug Administration, Pharma, National Institute on Drug, University of Gothenburg, Company, Reuters, Brigade, Getty Locations: Riga, Latvia, France, Ozempic, Novo, U.S, Italian, Austin , Texas, Sweden, Provo , Utah, Queens , New York

☆ Analysis: Wegovy launch in UK may underline Novo's need to get ahead of Lilly
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A 0.25 mg injection pen of Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug Wegovy is shown in this photo illustration in Oslo, Norway, August31, 2023. Studies have demonstrated more weight loss than with Wegovy. Novo's type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic has been on the market in Britain since 2019. A Lilly spokesperson declined to comment on Wegovy's launch or when exactly it would launch Mounjaro for diabetes treatment. Studies have shown that, used alongside exercise and lifestyle changes, Wegovy led to 15% weight loss over 68 weeks, while Mounjaro led to more than 22% over 72 weeks.

Persons: Victoria Klesty, Eli Lilly's, Wegovy, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, Novo, Lilly, Mounjaro, Ozempic, Eli Lilly, Maggie Fick, Alexander Smith, Catherine Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Wegovy, Economic Co, Development, Reuters, National Health Service, stoke, NHS, Britain's Department of Health, Social Care, Diabetes, UBS, Novo, Thomson Locations: Oslo, Norway, August31, Victoria, Britain, British, Danish, United States, Denmark, Germany, Europe, England

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