Pharma Pulse: Bayer Restructures, Lilly’s Oral GLP-1 Advances, and Court Ruling Shakes Up Obesity Drug Market

Welcome to Pharma Pulse, a Pharmaceutical Commerce podcast where we bring you the latest insights shaping patient access, supply chain/logistics, data & tech, and healthcare innovation. I'm your host, and in today’s episode, we have three major stories—from strategic restructuring to clinical breakthroughs, and a high-stakes legal decision—each with big implications for the industry.

First up, Bayer is making headlines as its aggressive restructuring continues into 2025. The company has already eliminated over 12,000 jobs as part of a cost-cutting strategy targeting $2.3 billion in annual savings by 2026. Interestingly, despite these workforce reductions, Bayer posted modest revenue growth in Q2—driven by strong performance of key drugs like Nubeqa and Kerendia.

On the legal front, Bayer is also allocating billions to manage risk from lingering glyphosate and PCB litigation—a reminder that operational streamlining must go hand-in-hand with prudent legal strategy.

In the weight management space, Eli Lilly’s oral GLP-1 therapy, orforglipron, is making headlines. The Phase III ATTAIN-1 trial found that patients on the highest dose lost an average of 12.4% of their body weight over 72 weeks, compared to less than 1% for placebo. The treatment also improved markers like cholesterol and blood pressure, with a safety profile similar to injectable GLP-1s.

If approved, orforglipron could offer a convenient, once-daily oral option—broadening access to GLP-1 therapy and potentially improving long-term adherence. Lilly is aiming to file for regulatory approval by year’s end, positioning the drug as both a complement to and a competitor against injectable leaders in the field.

A major legal decision could accelerate that competition. A US federal court recently dismissed Novo Nordisk’s patent claims against Eli Lilly over GLP-1 technology, clearing a legal hurdle for Lilly to advance its obesity and diabetes programs without the threat of an injunction.

For Novo, the ruling is a setback in a market projected to be worth hundreds of billions of dollars in the coming years. Analysts say this decision could compress competitive timelines, influence pricing strategies, and shape where companies place their R&D bets next. In a therapeutic category moving at record speed, removing legal uncertainty can be just as impactful as a clinical milestone.

From Bayer’s sweeping transformation to the momentum building behind oral GLP-1 therapies—and now a court ruling that could intensify competition—these stories highlight the strategic, scientific, and legal forces redefining pharma’s competitive landscape.

That’s it for this episode of Pharma Pulse. For more insights on trends transforming pharmaceutical access and care delivery, visit pharmaceuticalcommerce.com.

Thanks for listening—until next time, stay well and stay informed.

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