Pharma Pulse: The Oral GLP-1 Battle and GSK’s Billion-Dollar Breath of Fresh Air

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 let’s get into today’s headlines.

• The weight loss pill war is heating up. New clinical data shows that Eli Lilly’s orforglipron, a daily non-peptide GLP-1 agonist, demonstrated superior A1C reduction and weight loss compared to oral semaglutide. Unlike current oral GLP-1 peptide therapies that require strict fasting and water intake protocols, orforglipron is a nonpeptide small molecule that can be administered at any time of day without food or water restrictions.
• Meanwhile, GSK is doubling down on respiratory health with a nearly $1 billion agreement to acquire 35Pharma. The $950 million deal centers on HS235, a protein-based therapeutic designed as an activin signaling inhibitor. This molecule targets the activin receptor signaling pathway, a validated therapeutic target for pulmonary hypertension. The global market for these therapies is projected to reach $18 billion by 2032, with activin signaling inhibitors expected to represent half of that value.

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.

You can catch Pharma Pulse directly on Audioboom, Spotify, or iHeart.