With obesity drugs taking the U.S. and global markets by storm and more than 100 clinical programs currently in progress for the drugs, the U.S. FDA released a draft guidance Jan. 7 to help sponsors develop drugs and biologics for weight reduction and long-term maintenance of body weight.

Amylyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Gubra A/S have established a collaboration for the development of a novel long-acting GLP-1 receptor antagonist.

The Danish Medicines Agency is to ask the EMA’s pharmacovigilance committee to investigate a potential increased risk of an acute eye condition in diabetic patients being treated with the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist Ozempic (semaglutide).

Peptidream Inc. has released promising results from preclinical testing of its oral myostatin inhibitors, administered in combination with semaglutide, in a mouse model of obesity.

Peptidream Inc. has announced a new peptide radiopharmaceutical development candidate, PD-29875, a novel first-in-class highly selective macrocyclic peptide-radioisotope conjugate against Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2).

Researchers from the Fourth Military Medical University (Air Force Medical University) have identified novel antimicrobial molecules.

Although head-to-head results on tolerability were missing from the company’s data release, Eli Lilly and Co. said its U.S. FDA-approved weight-loss drug Zepbound (tirzepatide) beat the also-cleared Novo Nordic A/S compound Wegovy (semaglutide) in a phase IIIb study comparing the two.

During a busy day of dealmaking, Cour Pharmaceutical Development Co. Inc. entered a pact with Roche Holding AG’s Genentech unit to advance tolerogenic nanoparticle treatments for an autoimmune disease indication, garnering up to $940 million in up-front and milestone payments. Cour’s partnership with Genentech is its biggest to date, and the largest deal announced by a biopharma company on Dec. 3. A total of seven deals amounted to a combined single-day deal value of $3.67 billion.