AstraZeneca advances obesity pill to Phase 3 after mid-stage trials show ~11% weight loss

AstraZeneca announced that its experimental oral GLP-1 drug, elecoglipron, will enter an extensive Phase 3 development program following encouraging data from two mid-stage studies in obesity and diabetes.

In the obesity trial, participants lost an average of about 10.5% of body weight after 26 weeks, increasing to roughly 11.8% at 38 weeks. In the diabetes study, average blood‑sugar levels fell by about 2%.

The results, presented at a medical meeting and published in The Lancet, were described as ahead of expectations, giving the company a strong case for testing the pill in combination therapies, a key differentiator for the next generation of obesity treatments.

The roundup also noted that Bausch + Lomb will lay off 119 employees in Missouri, SonoThera secured $125 million to advance ultrasound‑guided genetic medicines, and Cartesian Therapeutics expanded its in‑vivo cell‑therapy capabilities.