Novo Nordisk entered the escalating acquisition battle for Metsera with a rival offer of up to $9 billion, topping Pfizer's earlier $7.3 billion bid. The Metsersa takeover clash signals how difficult and costly it will be for some companies to enter the weight loss drug category through M&A. Developing novel obesity drugs that offer a significant advantage over current GLP-1s is challenging (see: Pfizer), but it could be the better option for some pharma firms that want to avoid potentially messy, drawn-out bidding wars.
Due to the Trump administration's crackdown on direct-to-consumer (D2C) pharma advertising, drugmakers face a greater need to develop strong strategies to effectively reach the healthcare professionals (HCPs) who prescribe their treatments. Pharma marketers must use digital tools and channels, including social media and AI, to create credible engagement strategies that offset decreased consumer exposure to drug ads.
Eli Lilly is partnering with chipmaker NVIDIA to build the pharma industry’s most powerful supercomputer. Lily claims it will be the largest AI factory owned by a pharma company and will be up and running in January 2026. Lilly’s partnership with NVIDIA highlights the shift pharma companies are making to rely on tech firms who have the computing power and AI expertise pharma needs to stay competitive.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue, alleging that the companies “deceptively market” Tylenol to pregnant mothers despite knowing the pain medication increases the risk of autism and ADHD in children. The lawsuit comes just a few days after President Trump again warned pregnant mothers not to take Tylenol “unless absolutely necessary” and not to give young children the medication. Kenvue will now need to take action, given the unpredictable nature of when Trump will comment next, along with his administration’s efforts to relabel Tylenol. Efforts should emphasize direct consumer assurance of the drug’s safety, trusted expert validation, and physician-first communication.
Eli Lilly is already manufacturing its not-yet-approved GLP-1 pill for weight loss in anticipation of strong global demand next year. Lilly’s proactive approach puts them in the lead for now, but the GLP-1 and next generation obesity drug market is still in the early stages. Drugmakers need to focus on value-priced messaging and creating accessible weight loss drug brands.
OpenAI detailed new ChatGPT mental health safety measure results on Monday, alongside an internal analysis that shows potentially millions of users’ conversations indicate emotional reliance on the chatbot. Marketers should educate parents of teens and young adults about safe AI use, and emphasize best practices like clinician collaboration, backup safety measures, and transparent data policies to build credibility and trust.
Prescription pharmaceuticals accounted for 13.1% of total estimated US linear TV ad spend in Q3 2025, the highest among the top five industries, according to an October report from iSpot.tv.
Cigna will eliminate prescription drug rebates for many of its commercial health plans and instead offer discounts directly to consumers beginning in 2027. Cigna’s decision marks a big shift in the way prescription drugs are priced and paid for, and could pressure CVS and UnitedHealth to follow. Patients are beginning to see some lower drug prices online and at the pharmacy counter, but they’re also facing more complexity and responsibility. Healthcare and pharma marketers need to engage these more empowered and potentially overwhelmed consumers with clear, actionable communications.
Approximately 35% of US adults report using AI tools to learn about and manage aspects of their health and wellness, according to a recent study conducted by The Vitamin Shoppe and Talker Research. As more people grow to trust AI for health information, they may move away from social media and influencer-driven health content that they have never found very reliable. Consumers will increasingly value AI that links to verifiable sources over social videos that often lack accountability. Healthcare and pharma marketers shouldn’t make any drastic pivot away from social media, but should closely track shifts in how consumers engage with social and influencer health content.
Health insurer Highmark Health will cover the cost of Noom’s weight management programs as part of plan members’ medical benefits starting next year. Digital health tools like Noom offer a solution to rising healthcare costs for insurers and employers, but they must boost member engagement to deliver ROI for customers. The companies should collaborate on targeted outreach—using AI and analytics to identify eligible members, promoting no-cost programs via text and email, and highlighting benefits through clear messaging, case studies, and testimonials.
elehealth company Ro is betting a new “food noise” assessment tool will give its patients and pharma partners new data insights for obesity care. As the term food noise gains recognition in consumer health, obesity and weight management marketers can shape early understanding and trust. Clear, evidence-based education campaigns that define food noise as a measurable symptom and not a failure of willpower, can reduce stigma and strengthen patient engagement.
Half of oncologists note their cancer patients are turning to AI tools for information before, during, and after their diagnosis and treatment, according to a recent survey of oncologists from Impiricus and Klick Health. As patients adopt more AI for health information, pharma marketers have a growing opportunity to help physicians navigate the new dynamic. Marketers can offer physicians training on how to discuss and correct AI-generated information, and by providing credible, easy-to-understand resources grounded in evidence.
The price of newly launched prescription drugs increased by more than half over two years, according to new analysis from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Research (ICER). Although the industry continues to bring innovative therapies to market, high launch prices risk alienating consumers and policymakers. Pharma marketers should prepare for intensified pricing scrutiny and create value-driven narratives anchored in outcomes data, financial support programs, and digital support tools that help patients connect price to health benefits.
Consumers lack familiarity with direct-to-consumer (D2C) pharma services, but many are open to purchasing prescription medications from drugmakers. Pharma companies entering the D2C market must boost awareness of the channel. Pharma brands and marketers should inform pharmacists and doctors of drugmakers' latest D2C options, since they’re key sources for patients with medication cost and coverage questions. They should also create clear educational materials showing how consumers can save on D2C prescriptions, backed by data on limited insurance coverage for certain drug categories.
Alphabet subsidiary Verily is launching a free health app offering personalized guidance from clinicians. The Verily Me app will also have an AI agent to answer people’s health questions based on their medical records. Verily’s competitive advantage over bigger companies with brand-name is that it has clinician partners and access to some medical record data. The company should leverage its network of doctors to endorse Verily Me to their patients, using real-world examples to demonstrate the benefit of combining a person’s health history with a medical expert’s view for individualized guidance.
One in five employers cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss in 2025, and larger employers are more likely to cover these medications, per KFF’s latest Employer Health Benefits survey. The significant year-over-year (YoY) jump in GLP-1 coverage among the largest companies signals a key shift: the employer debate is moving from whether to cover weight loss drugs to how to do so sustainably.
Leading healthcare AI startups, including OpenEvidence, Abridge, UpToDate, and Doximity, are rolling out new products and capabilities in the race to compete for physician adoption and investment funding. Companies could gain an advantage by making their products easily integrated into clinicians’ existing workflows, such as their EHRs. Startups should also showcase the outcomes of their technology to influential stakeholders like medical associations to help establish credibility at the clinician level.
Walmart is now the first retailer to sell Abbott’s over-the-counter blood sugar monitor in stores. Its rollout of Abbott’s Lingo CGM brings real-time health tracking to mainstream retail, helping to make advanced health tech part of everyday life. For marketers, the rollout highlights a growing opportunity to reach proactive health seekers who want personalized insights about nutrition, exercise, and stress.
The rate of prescription drug approvals decreased while drug review delays and rejections increased in Q3, according to an RBC Capital Markets analysis analysis. Rising rejection rates and delays raise the bar for pharma companies. Drugmakers need to ensure complete, high-quality submissions that anticipate scrutiny and minimize risk. AI tools can play a key role by flagging data gaps, predicting reviewer questions, and optimizing application language to current FDA standards and preferences before submission.
President Donald Trump remarked late last week that the cost of brand-name GLP-1 drugs could drop to $150 in the US. Trump didn’t detail which insurance markets the lower-cost GLP-1s would apply to, or how he plans to force Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to drop their prices. With prescriptions surging, GLP-1 drugmakers must prepare for tougher scrutiny and calls from the government, doctors, and patients alike to make treatments more affordable. Pharma marketers should intensify messaging around their weight loss drugs being cost-effective over the long haul by preventing more serious chronic diseases.