Race in Obesity Drugs Heats Up Amidst Legal Battles and Aid Crises

Eli Lilly's new obesity drug shows promising results in weight loss, surpassing its existing drug Zepbound, as competition in the weight-loss market intensifies. Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson faces a legal setback with a $40 million verdict in a talc trial, and U.S. aid cuts disrupt treatments for malnourished children in Kenya.

Eli Lilly's next-generation obesity drug demonstrated a significant 28.7% average weight loss in a late-stage trial, outperforming its predecessor Zepbound. This development strengthens Lilly's position in the burgeoning global obesity market, driven by the success of GLP-1-based medications from competitors like Novo Nordisk.

Biotech firms are scrambling to capture a piece of the lucrative weight-loss drug sector, predicted to generate $150 billion in annual sales within a decade. As competition intensifies, innovation in treatments promising faster and more effective weight loss remains a top priority.

In separate news, a California jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $40 million to two plaintiffs who claimed the company's talc-based product caused their ovarian cancer. Additionally, aid reductions in Kenya have left families of malnourished children without access to critical health services.

(With inputs from agencies.)