The 44th annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference began with major pharmaceutical companies outlining their achievements and future plans.
Eli Lilly announced it is ready for a global launch of its new weight-loss pill, orforglipron, pending expected FDA approval in the coming months. Daniel Skovronsky, Chief Scientific and Product Officer at Lilly, told Reuters that the company intends to “launch in many, many countries . . . as quickly as possible.” The drug received the FDA Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher last November, which shortens the review period from 10–12 months to just 1–2 months. Analysts predict approval by March 2026. Lilly plans to price orforglipron at $150 per month. Skovronsky explained: “We’ve spent billions of dollars in science here, and tens of billions of dollars to build factories to make this. Then we’re offering it at Starbucks pricing.”
Lilly also revealed a partnership with Nvidia to establish a co-innovation lab focused on using machine learning for pharmaceutical challenges.
Novo Nordisk addressed ongoing issues with compounded and unapproved versions of its GLP-1 drugs affecting its revenue. CEO Mike Doustdar estimated that about 1.5 million U.S. patients use compounded versions of Wegovy and Ozempic. He said these patients are not seeking unsafe compounded drugs but are instead drawn by lower prices: compounders “grabbed a part of the consumers that simply were price sensitive.” Doustdar added that Novo is adapting its patient engagement and pricing strategies based on these lessons. The company recently launched an oral version of Wegovy after receiving FDA approval last month, with monthly costs ranging from $149 to $299 depending on dosage.
Regeneron reported significant growth for its high-dose Eylea injection used for eye conditions. CEO Leonard Schleifer stated that fourth-quarter sales reached $506 million—a 66% increase compared to the previous year—and Eylea HD now accounts for nearly half of net sales in Regeneron’s Eylea franchise, which totaled $1.1 billion last year. BMO Capital Markets analysts noted Eylea HD exceeded consensus expectations by $60 million and suggested an upcoming pre-filled syringe version could further boost uptake if approved.
Additionally, Regeneron outlined plans to advance obesity treatments, including launching a late-stage trial for olatorepatide (GIP/GLP-1 therapy) and reporting more data on muscle preservation using semaglutide combined with trevogrumab and garetosmab.
BridgeBio Pharma reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results for its transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) drug Attruby, achieving $146 million in net product revenues—a 35% quarter-on-quarter increase—driven by new patient additions. As of December 31, 2025, there were 6,629 unique patient prescriptions for Attruby, up from 5,259 two months prior. Analysts highlighted this performance relative to competitors such as Alnylam’s Amvuttra. The FDA approved Attruby in November 2024; since then prescription numbers have doubled by February 2025.
