Weight loss drug news

• Feb 23, 26: Eli Lilly launched a new form of its blockbuster obesity drug, Zepbound, that offers a month’s worth of doses in a single pen.   Cash-paying patients can get the multi-dose device, called KwikPen, on the company’s direct-to-consumer website, LillyDirect. Prices start at $299 per month for the lowest dose level.   The KwikPen is already used for other drugs, such as Lilly’s popular diabetes medication, Mounjaro. 
• Dec 22, 2025:  The FDA has approved the first-ever GLP-1 pill from Novo Nordisk. Novo Nordisk said the starting dose of 1.5 milligrams will be available in early January in pharmacies and via select telehealth providers with savings offers for $149 per month.  
• That’s the same price that cash-paying patients can access the starting dose of the pill on President Donald Trump’s direct-to-consumer website, TrumpRx, under a deal Novo Nordisk struck with his administration last month. Trump’s site also launches in January.  The approval gives Novo Nordisk a head start over chief rival Eli Lilly, which is racing to launch its own obesity pill.
• Dec 18, 2025:  Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk — the dominant players in obesity drug development — each submitted a new weight-loss drug to the FDA for approval today.

Eli Lilly’s (LLY) drug is called orforglipron. It is a pill that’s taken daily and has shown 12.4% average weight loss. The drugmaker also shared new data that demonstrate orforglipron helped patients maintain their weight loss for a year compared to placebo, and after switching from Zepbound, its weight-loss injection, or Wegovy, Novo’s competing weight-loss injection.

Novo Nordisk’s (NVO) next-gen medication is called CagriSema. It’s a once-weekly shot that combines a long-acting amylin analogue and Wegovy. Clinical trials found that patients taking CagriSema lose an average of 20.4% of their weight after 68 weeks, compared to 3.0% on placebo.

CagriSema would be the first combo GLP-1 if it’s approved, while orforglipron would be the first GLP-1 pill approved for weight loss. Oral GLP-1s like Lilly’s Trulicity and Novo’s Rybelsus have been on the market for about 10 years, though they are only approved to treat people with Type 2 diabetes.

Though Novo was the first to bring a GLP-1 for obesity to market, Lilly is viewed as the market leader, both in sales performance and strategic dealmaking for its products. Its stock is up about 34% for the year, while Novo’s shares have tumbled 45%.

• Dec 11, 2025: Eli Lilly (LLY): experimental "triple G" delivered the best weight loss thus far in a clinical study.  Retatrutide works by mimicking a trio of hormones — GLP-1, GIPR and glucagon — to curb hunger signals and improve blood sugar levels. In a Phase 3 study, patients with obesity and osteoarthritis of the knee, but not type 2 diabetes, lost up to 28.7% of their body weight after 68 weeks.

The results top the 22.5% reduction seen with Lilly's tirzepatide in a 72-week study. Tirzepatide, which sells under the brands Mounjaro and Zepbound for diabetes and weight loss, mimics GLP-1 and GIPR.

There are likely three future categories for weight-loss drugs: low weight loss, mid weight loss and "super high weight loss." Retatrutide likely fits into the last group. Tirzepatide "rules supreme" in the mid weight-loss category, with oral drugs likely to fill the low weight-loss space.

In additional secondary endpoints, retatrutide reduced known markers of cardiovascular risk, including non-HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and at the highest dose lowered systolic blood pressure by 14.0 mmHg, using the efficacy estimand.4 In an additional post-hoc analysis, 14.1% of patients on retatrutide 9 mg and 12.0% patients on retatrutide 12 mg were completely free of knee pain at 68 weeks compared to 4.2% on placebo, based on the observed efficacy estimand data.

Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs)

Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs), also known as range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs) or sometimes range-extender vehicles, are a type of electrified vehicle that combines the core characteristics of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) with a small onboard generator to dramatically increase total driving range.Key Characteristics of an EREV

• Primary propulsion — The vehicle is driven exclusively by one or more electric motors using electricity from the battery pack. There is no mechanical connection between the internal combustion engine (usually a small gasoline engine) and the wheels.
• Range extender — A small internal combustion engine (ICE) acts purely as a generator (auxiliary power unit or APU). When the main battery runs low (typically down to 5–20% state of charge), the engine automatically starts to generate electricity, which either charges the battery or directly powers the electric motor(s).
• Plug-in capability — Like a BEV or PHEV, it can be plugged in to charge the battery from the grid (home charger, public station, etc.), allowing regular electric-only driving for daily use.
• Driving experience — It feels and drives like a pure electric vehicle most of the time — smooth, quiet, instant torque, one-pedal driving, etc. — with the engine only running when needed to extend range (and often at an efficient constant speed).

How EREVs Compare to Other Vehicle Types

Type	Full Name	Drives wheels with electric motor?	Engine directly drives wheels?	Plug-in charging?	Typical electric-only range	Total range (with fuel)	Primary use case
BEV	Battery Electric Vehicle	Yes	No	Yes	200–400+ miles	Same as electric range	Full electric, no range anxiety solution needed
EREV	Extended Range Electric Vehicle	Yes	No	Yes	50–150+ miles (often larger battery)	400–800+ miles	Electric daily driving + long trips without fast-charging reliance
PHEV	Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle	Yes (often)	Yes (in most designs)	Yes	20–80 miles	300–600 miles	Short electric commutes, hybrid flexibility
HEV	(Regular) Hybrid Electric Vehicle	Sometimes	Yes	No	Very short (~1–3 miles)	400–600 miles	Fuel efficiency without plugging in

 

Li Auto L8 Pro EREV SUV 2025  ($45,560)

Advantages of EREVs

• Eliminates most "range anxiety" for people who occasionally drive long distances or lack reliable fast-charging access.
• Allows mostly/fully electric driving for daily commutes (cheaper, smoother, zero local emissions).
• The engine runs less often and more efficiently than in a traditional hybrid or PHEV.
• Many recent designs (especially in China and emerging U.S. models) achieve very high total ranges (500–900+ miles).

Disadvantages

• Added weight, complexity, and cost from the engine + fuel system (compared to pure BEV).
• Still requires gasoline (though much less than a conventional car).
• Slightly less efficient on long highway trips compared to some parallel hybrids (engine not optimized for direct wheel drive).

 Jeep Grand Wagoneer range-extender (REEV)  2026  ($100,000)

Notable / Upcoming Examples 

• Historical: Chevrolet Volt (early version), BMW i3 REx, Fisker Karma.
• Recent / emerging: Ram 1500 Ramcharger, Mazda MX-30 R-EV, various Chinese models (Li Auto, BYD, etc.), upcoming Scout Motors trucks/SUVs, Jeep/Grand Wagoneer variants, some Hyundai and Stellantis models.

In short: An EREV is basically a battery electric vehicle that happens to carry a small gasoline generator for peace of mind on longer journeys — it's one of the strongest "bridge" technologies between full hybrids and pure EVs, especially popular where charging infrastructure is still developing.

Ethereum (ETH) reaches a new high of $4,955 on August 24, 2025

In October 2025, Ethereum (ETH) experienced notable volatility amid broader crypto market dynamics, failing to sustain early momentum and contributing to a corrective phase.Early Month StrengthEthereum entered October on a positive trajectory, building from its new all-time high of approximately $4,950–$4,955 reached on August 24, 2025. Prices briefly pushed above $4,700 in the opening weeks, supported by:

• Strong inflows into spot Ethereum ETFs.
• Ongoing Layer-2 adoption.
• Institutional interest.
• Anticipation of network upgrades.

This aligned with historical "Uptober" seasonality and broader market optimism.

Mid-Month Pullback and VolatilityThe upward momentum faltered mid-month, with ETH retreating toward the $3,700–$4,200 range. Key factors included:

• A massive deleveraging event in the broader crypto futures market (estimated $4B+ in liquidations around October 10).
• Renewed macroeconomic concerns, including trade tensions and risk-off sentiment spilling from equities.
• Reduced network activity leading to lower fee burns and increased circulating supply pressure.

Sources describe a sharp reversal after the initial rally, with prices dipping amid panic selling and leverage unwinds, though not as severe as in prior cycles.Recovery and Month-End LevelsETH staged a partial rebound in the latter half of October, grinding back toward $4,000–$4,100 levels by late month, but remained below early highs. It closed October with a net decline (roughly 10–15% lower month-on-month in some estimates), trading in consolidation as capital rotated toward Bitcoin and select altcoins.Broader Context and AftermathThe October correction marked a shift from summer euphoria, highlighting Ethereum's sensitivity to macro risks and leverage. By December 2025, ETH was trading around $2,900–$3,000 (down ~40% from its August ATH), reflecting ongoing lower highs, ETF outflows in some periods, and bearish-to-neutral technicals. Fundamentals remained supportive—staking growth, upcoming upgrades like Fusaka (December 2025)—but short-term sentiment stayed cautious amid consolidation.Overall, October 2025 represented a transition from post-ATH strength to prolonged correction for Ethereum, setting the stage for base-building into year-end.