Check Up: The reason people quit weight-loss drugs

People are reportedly quitting popular weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy after 3 months
Side effects such as loss of muscle mass is one big reason
The best and worst performing ASX health stocks in the past month

Despite more people taking diabetes medication (like Ozempic and Wegovy) to induce weight loss, few can in fact tolerate them in the long run, according to new research.

New research published in the journal Obesity reveals that only 44% of people people prescribed weight-loss drugs were still taking them after three months, and only 19% after one year.

So why do people not persist with it?

According to a report by The Conversation, not persisting with medication is a well known phenomenon and actually not that unusual.

For example, studies have shown that by the end of one year, almost half of the people on blood pressure medication stop taking them.

The most cited reason is concerns around side effects.

For GLP-1 medication (like Ozempic and Wegovy), numerous issues of side effects have been widely reported, including bouts of nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, fatigue as well sulphurous burping.

Lean muscle Loss

Another reason for ditching these weight loss drugs is that it apparently causes lean muscle loss.

A recent result of a clinical trial of semaglitude—the active ingredient in weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy – showed that people lost nearly as much loss of lean muscle as pounds of fat.

Participants in the trial lost about 15 pounds (around 6.8kg) of lean muscle on average, compared with 23 pounds (10.4 kg) of fat during the 68-week trial.

Experts however say although losing lean muscle loss when shedding weight is a problem, it isn’t all that surprising.

“When we look at weight reduction from any intervention, about one-third of the weight we lose tends to be lean mass, and that can be problematic,” Dr. Jaime Almandoz, an associate professor of internal medicine at University of Texas told NBC.

“That lean mass loss is generally from muscle. Lean mass is healthier and associated with better metabolism, so when we lose lean mass, we may lose some of that function.”

Because of that, most doctors are instead urging people to go on a slow, consistent weight loss program by focusing on health, and not weight.

“If weight loss is starting to seem unachievable, try setting a different goal,” said a report from the American Nurse Association.

“Getting more physically fit can improve your health in many of the same ways. And you might find gaining fitness easier and more rewarding than losing weight.”

Best performing ASX biotechs over the past month

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CODE COMPANY PRICE 1 WEEK RETURN % 1 MONTH RETURN % 6 MONTH RETURN % 1 YEAR RETURN % MARKET CAP LBT LBT Innovations 0.01 -16.67 100.00 -55.45 -74.65 $12,596,770 ICR Intelicare Holdings 0.03 16.67 86.67 133.33 33.33 $5,849,631 NEU Neuren Pharmaceut. 24.04 0.33 61.34 101.17 190.69 $3,059,466,851 PSQ Pacific Smiles Grp 1.45 2.47 57.61 7.41 -8.81 $231,393,810 ALA Arovella Therapeutic 0.14 22.73 56.98 200.00 440.00 $122,720,432 BPH BPH Energy 0.04 10.00 51.72 137.84 144.44 $45,140,786 ADR Adherium 0.07 51.11 51.11 51.11 13.33 $22,673,919 ATH Alterity Therap 0.01 -14.29 50.00 -7.69 -33.33 $16,814,162 CMP Compumedics 0.28 1.85 48.65 71.88 37.50 $48,719,811 VHT Volpara Health Tech 1.10 0.00 46.00 61.03 104.67 $278,539,867 S66 Star Combo 0.15 0.00 45.00 31.82 -3.33 $19,587,032 CU6 Clarity Pharma 1.80 4.35 40.08 166.67 83.67 $472,031,620 PGC Paragon Care 0.24 2.13 37.14 11.63 -27.27 $160,288,363 M7T Mach7 Tech 0.81 3.21 35.29 45.05 41.23 $194,158,793 PAA Pharmaust 0.11 -4.35 34.15 52.78 77.42 $38,439,977 DXB Dimerix 0.18 2.86 33.33 215.79 18.19 $76,694,381 DOC Doctor Care Anywhere 0.06 1.69 25.00 39.53 13.21 $21,998,535 IMU Imugene 0.11 5.00 25.00 23.53 -27.59 $752,754,128 PYC PYC Therapeutics 0.10 8.70 25.00 85.19 66.67 $373,286,714 PBP Probiotec 2.91 18.29 20.75 8.99 29.91 $236,651,111 1AD Adalta 0.03 0.00 19.05 8.70 -44.44 $13,145,102 NYR Nyrada Inc. 0.03 19.05 19.05 -28.57 -82.76 $3,900,218 PNV Polynovo 1.60 -3.03 18.52 15.11 -17.53 $1,104,372,402 ARX Aroa Biosurgery 0.79 5.33 17.91 -12.22 -27.85 $271,318,708 ONE Oneview Healthcare 0.24 2.17 17.50 -18.97 104.35 $157,310,524 IMM Immutep 0.35 -2.82 15.00 23.21 22.96 $410,147,923 VTI Vision Tech Inc 0.25 -9.26 13.95 8.93 -39.05 $12,567,013 OPT Opthea 0.46 2.25 13.75 -10.62 -46.96 $301,577,928 NXS Next Science 0.30 -11.76 11.11 -41.18 -51.61 $87,508,531 OSX Osteopore 0.05 4.17 11.11 -52.38 -66.29 $7,745,932 AN1 Anagenics 0.02 0.00 10.53 90.91 -15.20 $7,954,335 SHG Singular Health 0.04 -2.33 10.53 5.00 -61.82 $5,935,031 CBL Control Bionics 0.04 10.00 10.00 -45.18 -70.43 $6,374,352 ILA Island Pharma 0.09 11.39 10.00 -12.00 -53.68 $7,151,625 IIQ Inoviq 0.69 2.24 9.60 37.00 8.73 $63,032,811 CAJ Capitol Health 0.24 2.17 9.30 -16.07 -26.56 $250,465,210 IBX Imagion Biosys 0.34 -5.56 7.94 -34.62 -66.00 $11,099,827 LDX Lumos Diagnostics 0.07 8.27 7.46 500.00 53.19 $34,653,603 MVF Monash IVF Group 1.34 -1.11 6.80 17.11 38.34 $520,162,511 BOT Botanix Pharma 0.17 3.13 6.45 57.14 184.48 $255,278,866 SOM SomnoMed 0.47 8.14 5.68 -47.43 -62.31 $50,494,999 NTI Neurotech Intl 0.06 9.09 5.26 71.43 -14.29 $53,504,354 AT1 Atomo Diagnostics 0.02 4.55 4.55 9.52 -58.18 $14,701,653 IDT IDT Australia 0.10 -7.62 4.30 53.97 21.25 $34,093,508 IPD Impedimed 0.14 -3.45 3.70 -15.15 89.19 $283,263,109 VLS Vita Life Sciences.. 1.78 -3.78 3.19 0.57 25.35 $95,853,244 IMC Immuron 0.08 1.30 2.63 14.71 -6.02 $17,768,271 PAR Paradigm Bio. 0.39 6.85 2.63 -56.89 -72.35 $136,729,778 TLX Telix Pharmaceutical 9.50 -2.96 1.39 -17.82 33.43 $3,075,403,489 ATX Amplia Therapeutics 0.08 2.53 1.25 -7.95 -10.00 $15,714,469 OCC Orthocell 0.41 -2.38 1.23 20.59 3.80 $81,699,616 AC8 Auscann Grp Hlgs 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 $17,621,884 ACR Acrux 0.04 -14.00 0.00 -4.44 -40.28 $12,454,132 ACW Actinogen Medical 0.02 -4.35 0.00 -44.13 -76.63 $50,760,822 ALC Alcidion Group 0.07 -2.67 0.00 -22.34 -49.66 $98,000,545 BP8 Bph Global 0.00 0.00 0.00 -50.00 -88.61 $2,753,345 BWX BWX 0.20 0.00 0.00 0.00 25.00 $39,997,500 CDX Cardiex 0.12 0.00 0.00 -15.63 -60.29 $17,354,743 CYP Cynata Therapeutics 0.12 9.09 0.00 4.35 -61.90 $21,555,814 JTL Jayex Technology 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 -18.18 $2,531,507 MDC Medlab Clinical 6.60 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.76 $15,071,113 NC6 Nanollose 0.02 0.00 0.00 -60.00 -62.71 $3,495,500 OSL Oncosil Medical 0.01 5.88 0.00 -25.00 -76.43 $17,770,870 PAB Patrys 0.01 0.00 0.00 -27.27 -69.23 $16,459,579 RAD Radiopharm 0.07 1.43 -1.39 -28.41 -31.66 $26,386,376 VBS Vectus Biosystems 0.31 -3.13 -1.59 -27.91 -60.00 $16,494,902 EZZ EZZ Life Science 0.61 -3.20 -2.42 13.08 72.86 $25,836,525 AHC Austco Healthcare 0.20 0.00 -2.50 11.43 69.57 $57,462,416 AGH Althea Group 0.04 -2.56 -2.56 -9.52 -37.70 $15,049,670 ADO Anteotech 0.03 -5.56 -2.86 -20.93 -39.29 $74,679,043 RSH Respiri 0.03 0.00 -3.03 -13.51 -30.43 $33,915,806 TRI Trivarx 0.03 3.45 -3.23 50.00 -25.00 $10,142,360 RHT Resonance Health 0.06 -6.45 -3.33 28.89 -3.33 $27,079,790 ZNO Zoono Group 0.05 -3.92 -3.92 16.67 -48.38 $9,900,968 GLH Global Health 0.12 -4.00 -4.00 9.09 -42.86 $6,965,944 CAN Cann Group 0.11 5.00 -4.55 -8.70 -48.37 $45,463,436 CGS Cogstate 1.46 4.29 -4.58 -14.62 -22.13 $250,199,219 MDR Medadvisor 0.20 5.41 -4.88 -18.75 -18.75 $106,651,316 CTE Cryosite 0.61 -6.15 -5.43 -3.94 -12.86 $29,773,833 MVP Medical Developments 0.75 1.36 -5.70 -5.70 -51.31 $64,297,388 BDX Bcaldiagnostics 0.10 1.02 -5.71 17.86 65.00 $24,912,277 SDI SDI 0.74 -0.67 -6.92 -10.30 -17.78 $87,960,492 PIQ Proteomics Int Lab 0.84 5.00 -7.18 -4.55 -14.29 $102,761,166 HGV Hygrovest 0.05 2.00 -7.27 10.87 -27.14 $10,725,841 1AI Algorae Pharma 0.01 0.00 -7.69 -14.29 -6.54 $19,934,882 DVL Dorsavi 0.01 -14.29 -7.69 0.00 0.00 $7,159,939 ZLD Zelira Therapeutics 0.94 2.17 -7.84 -37.75 -7.84 $10,666,326 ANP Antisense Therapeut. 0.06 -1.79 -8.33 -8.33 -36.05 $49,584,973 MX1 Micro-X 0.11 0.00 -8.33 -4.35 -18.52 $56,987,053 UBI Universal Biosensors 0.22 0.00 -8.33 4.76 0.00 $46,721,276 GSS Genetic Signatures 0.44 2.27 -9.09 -11.76 -50.00 $63,035,540 MEM Memphasys 0.01 9.09 -9.59 -15.62 -15.62 $13,567,571 CHM Chimeric Therapeutic 0.03 0.00 -9.68 -26.32 -64.10 $20,183,536 CYC Cyclopharm 1.91 -0.52 -9.91 -0.52 61.86 $179,723,983 BIT Biotron 0.09 3.45 -10.00 260.00 221.43 $81,204,796 TRP Tissue Repair 0.22 -8.33 -10.20 -15.38 -6.38 $12,277,763 AMT Allegra Medical 0.05 0.00 -10.71 -12.28 -52.38 $5,980,551 PTX Prescient 0.07 -1.52 -10.96 -18.75 -46.94 $52,345,787 EYE Nova EYE Medical 0.12 4.35 -11.11 -57.89 -58.62 $22,875,467 AVE Avecho Biotech 0.00 16.67 -12.50 -30.00 -76.67 $11,092,540 GTG Genetic Technologies 0.18 -12.50 -12.50 -30.00 -41.67 $20,198,018 EPN Epsilon Healthcare 0.02 0.00 -14.29 20.00 9.09 $7,208,496 IVX Invion 0.01 20.00 -14.29 20.00 -33.33 $38,529,793 OIL Optiscan Imaging 0.08 1.25 -14.74 -1.22 -17.34 $67,662,605 AHK Ark Mines 0.20 14.71 -15.22 -35.00 2.63 $8,803,228 TRU Truscreen 0.02 0.00 -16.00 -16.00 -47.50 $8,820,532 RAC Race Oncology 0.81 1.89 -16.06 -30.17 -59.90 $132,339,818 BXN Bioxyne 0.01 0.00 -16.67 -54.55 -61.54 $19,016,454 HCT Holista CollTech 0.01 0.00 -16.67 -23.08 -58.33 $2,788,001 PCK Painchek 0.04 2.94 -17.65 29.63 2.94 $50,254,729 EXL Elixinol Wellness 0.01 -7.69 -20.00 -14.29 -40.00 $7,594,459 VFX Visionflex Group 0.01 -20.00 -20.00 100.00 -11.11 $11,335,930 IRX Inhalerx 0.03 0.00 -21.62 -39.58 -51.67 $5,503,242 HXL Hexima 0.02 0.00 -21.74 -14.29 -5.26 $3,006,713 4DX 4Dmedical 0.71 -0.70 -23.78 5.22 88.00 $275,573,079 RGS Regeneus 0.00 -40.00 -25.00 -50.00 -93.75 $919,311 SNT Syntara 0.02 -4.17 -28.13 -48.89 -60.34 $16,620,127 RHY Rhythm Biosciences 0.13 -3.85 -28.57 -71.91 -87.86 $27,642,824 RNO Rhinomed 0.02 20.00 -29.41 -65.71 -78.18 $6,857,273 NSB Neuroscientific 0.05 8.89 -30.99 -33.78 -65.00 $7,085,639 MXC Mgc Pharmaceuticals 0.48 -2.04 -31.91 -90.40 -96.00 $17,515,983 ME1 Melodiol Glb Health 0.00 100.00 -33.33 -71.43 -90.00 $9,457,648 TD1 Tali Digital 0.00 0.00 -33.33 -33.33 -60.00 $3,295,156 NOX Noxopharm 0.07 -10.39 -37.27 53.33 -54.00 $20,164,419

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LBT Innovations (ASX:LBT)

LBT has been rising since its AGM in late November, where management provided an update on the company’s goals in 2024.

LBT CEO Brent Barnes said the expectations in 2024 include completion of the product development project with AstraZeneca, with a global rollout expected in the second half of the year.

In January, the microbiology diagnostic equipment manufacturer LBT announced a partnership with AstraZeneca and Thermo Fisher to speed up the development of LBT’s APAS AI software platform for microbial testing in the pharmaceutical sector.

The software is said to allow the speed up of laboratory processing of clinical samples by utilising AI to scan for microbial contamination.

In addition, LBT’s management expects additional pharmaceutical companies to commence validations in 2024, which will build the company’s sales pipeline.

Neuren Pharma (ASX:NEU)

Neuren soared last week after announcing positive results of its Phase 2 results of NNZ-2591 in children with Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS).

NNZ-2591 was given to all patients in the study as an oral liquid dose twice daily, with escalation in two stages up to the target dose of 12mg/kg during the first six weeks of treatment, subject to independent review of safety and tolerability data.

NEU says significant improvement was observed by both clinicians and caregivers from treatment, across multiple efficacy measures.

NEU also says NNZ-2591 was safe and well tolerated, with no clinically significant changes in laboratory values or other safety parameters during treatment.

Seperately, the company said the last subject to be screened this week will complete the enrolment of subjects into its Phase 2 clinical trial of NNZ-2591 in Angelman syndrome (AS).

The Phase 2 trial will have enrolled children between aged 3 to 17 years at three hospitals in Australia. The study will examine the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and efficacy of NNZ-2591 over 13 weeks of twice-daily oral liquid doses.

NNZ-2591 is a synthetic drug which is is under development by Neuren for the treatment of Rett syndrome, fragile X syndrome, Phelan-McDermid syndrome, Pitt Hopkins syndrome (genetic disorders), Prader-Willi syndrome, as well as Angelman Syndrome.

Top-line results from the trial are expected to be available in Q3 2024.

Intelicare (ASX:ICR)

ICR has been rising after executing a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bolton Clarke as a precursor to a Strategic Partnership Agreement.

Bolton Clarke is Australia’s largest independent not-for-profit aged care provider, supporting more than 130,000 people at home and in its 88 residential homes and 38 retirement villages.

ICR also executed a binding Reseller Agreement with JNC Technologies to deploy the InteliCare platform to JNC’s client Hardi Aged Care.

The contract value is expected to be $1.8 million in hardware implementation, and on full deployment will generate in excess of $0.5 million in annual recurring SaaS fees with an initial term of three years, representing InteliCare’s largest commercial deployment to date.

Pacific Smiles Group (ASX:PSQ)

Dental clinics network, Pacific Smiles Group, provided an update on its trading performance as of the close of business on 20 December.

Patient fees came in $141.1m, a 10.5% increase YoY, and same centre patient fees also increased 9.7% YoY.

PSQ also provided guidance for FY24.

Patient fees for the full year are expected to come in the range of $293m to $297m, and Underlying EBITDA in the range of $26m to $28m.

Additionally, PSQ said the board has assessed the $1.40 in cash per share takeover offer from Genesis Capital submitted earlier this week.

Despite acknowledging that the share price performance of Pacific Smiles has been disappointing, the board considers that the offer is “opportunistic and materially undervalues Pacific Smiles”, and has therefore rejected the proposal.

Adherium (ASX:ADR)

The digital health company delivered the first purchase order agreement of 1,750 of its Hailie Smartinhaler sensors to a major US hospital system, Intermountain Health.

Intermountain includes 33 hospitals, 385 clinics with more than 12,000 associated physicians. Intermountain is a leader in outpatient respiratory care with around 300,000 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma patients.

Hailie is the only US FDA 510(k) cleared, drug-agnostic digital sensor available today providing physiological data insights on inhaler technique.

Haile’s sensors remotely capture when and how an inhaler is being used, profoundly improving adherence and patient self-management. This data enables timely interventions and tailored treatments to improve health outcomes to reduce hospital admissions and ultimately healthcare costs.

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