Issue # 149 – Serena Williams joins Ro to normalize GLP-1 weight loss drugs

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Serena Williams, one of the most iconic athletes of our time, recently revealed that she turned to GLP-1 drugs to lose 31 pounds after struggling with postpartum weight, despite years of disciplined training and dieting. The disclosure, amplified through her partnership with Ro, has sparked global conversation.

At the same time, in India, GLP-1 marketing is becoming impossible to ignore because large billboards across Bangalore and other metros are pushing these drugs as the new face of health. With India’s anti-obesity drug market growing fivefold in just five years, and GLP-1 therapies now accounting for nearly 75% of the market by value, signaling how aggressively these drugs are being positioned as mainstream healthcare solutions.  

For women, the potential impact is huge, these drugs could address real health concerns tied to hormonal changes, reproductive health, and postpartum recovery. But beyond the weight loss headlines, there’s a bigger conversation emerging: this isn’t just about drugs it’s about the future of healthcare itself.

• Oscar Health has introduced an artificial intelligence “superagent” designed to assist its Care Guides by streamlining administrative processes and improving member support, the company detailed in a blog post recently.
• Stanford Health collaborates with Qualtrics to develop artificial intelligence (AI) agents to enhance patient experience and care team efficiency.

• Gene therapy biotech Kriya Therapeutics has raised $313 million through a new equity financing, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing..
• Smart mattress company Eight Sleep has raised $100 million in funding as it expands beyond sleep optimization into medical applications, including women’s health features like its recently launched Hot Flash Mode for menopausal women. The round was led by HSG and Valor Equity Partners, with participation from Founders Fund and Y Combinator.

• New research has found that heavy periods and menstrual pain in teenage girls are linked to lower grades and increased school absences. The study, described as the most robust to date on this issue, examined data from 2,698 girls aged 13 to 16 in the Children of the 90s study, linking health records to school attendance and GCSE results from the Department for Education.
• Scientists have warned that chemicals in plastics are driving falling sperm counts, after talks on a global pollution treaty collapsed over disputes about chemical regulation.
• A quarter of mothers on maternity leave do not return to work or quit within a year of going back, with 83 per cent blaming poor employer support. The survey found half of women coming back from maternity leave were treated differently, with a third saying colleagues acted as if they had taken a break.
• Prenatal exposure to paracetamol may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in children, new research suggests.
• Collagen, the most abundant protein in the human body, may exacerbate type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition affecting over 500 million people globally, a study from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has revealed.  Published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the research highlights how collagen I, a key structural protein in skin, bones, and connective tissues, acts as a hidden trigger in worsening this disease. The findings also prompt questions about the safety of collagen supplements, widely used for skin, joint, and overall health benefits.
• Prolonged sitting or lying down may increase the risk of cognitive decline and brain shrinkage in regions associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease, even among individuals who engage in regular physical exercise, finds a US study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.
• Researchers behind a new study into phantom limb pain believe it could change how the phenomenon is treated.The universities of Cambridge and Pittsburgh followed three people due to having one of their hands amputated. Phantom limb pain is experienced as a sensation or itch seemingly coming from the limb that is no longer there.
• Allergic reactions to foods such as pine nuts and goat’s milk happen frequently enough they may need warning labels, say experts. Food packaging in the UK and EU already lists the most common allergens for people to be aware of, such as egg, peanuts and sesame.
• Australian scientists have successfully grown the world’s first fully functioning human skin in a lab, complete with its blood supply. The study was conducted by Dr Abbas Shafiee, a tissue engineering and regenerative medicine scientist at the Frazer Institute at the University of Queensland, in collaboration with Metro North Health.

• Teladoc Health has acquired Australian virtual care provider Telecare as part of its ongoing efforts to bolster international operations.Telecare operates a virtual care clinic covering more than 30 specialties. It handles appointments referred by general practitioners and provides services to public hospitals across Australia.
• Eli Lilly has entered into a deal worth up to $1.3 billion with Boston-based biotech Superluminal Medicines to develop new drugs for obesity and related heart conditions.The agreement marks Lilly’s latest move to expand its portfolio of weight management treatments.
• Philips has announced plans to invest over $150 million in U.S. manufacturing, research, and development, targeting expansions at its facilities in Reedsville, Pennsylvania, and Plymouth, Minnesota.
• BioMed X, an independent biomedical research institute based in Heidelberg, Germany, announced the launch of a new collaboration with Novo Nordisk, a leading global healthcare company headquartered in Denmark. This partnership aims to address one of the most critical challenges in modern drug development: the efficient oral delivery of therapeutic peptides. A research team will be formed to work on this challenge with support from BioMed X and Novo Nordisk.

• The Delhi government plans to establish 1,100 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, of which 166 are already operational. Alongside, five major hospital expansions are set to be completed this month, adding 1,300 new beds, new OPDs, and advanced medical equipment to the city’s healthcare infrastructure.
• The Union health ministry has notified an amendment to the Drugs Rules, 1945 to mandate inclusion of qualitative details of excipient into the data stored in the label of drug formulation products as bar code or Quick Response (QR) code from next year.
• The Union ministry of health and family welfare has included the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna as a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for rare diseases under the National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD), 2021.

📳 – Quick Reads: 

• Fact Check: Are asymmetric breasts a sign of cancer? Breast asymmetry is often normal. However, sudden changes in breast size, shape, nipple appearance, or skin texture warrant immediate medical attention
• Contact lens complications: What you need to know to protect your vision. Contact lens safety is paramount, given the rising popularity and potential risks like infections and corneal damage associated with improper use
• 4 steps to reduce added sugars in your diet to ward off obesity and diabetes. Added sugars pose significant health risks and implementing practical strategies is crucial to improving overall health and wellness

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See you next Friday, friends 👋
Navneet

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