Team Metabolic Health

Obesity is among the world’s most common health conditions, but for years medicine had few effective approaches to offer short of surgery. That’s why there’s been so much excitement about a new class of drugs that’s helping patients shed dozens of pounds at far lower risk — and generating billions in revenue for pharmaceutical companies.

The mania over these drugs is drawing responses from businesses as varied as airlines, dialysis centers and big box chains, sending stock markets into a frenzy. Novo Nordisk A/S’s Ozempic was publicized by Hollywood, where it also became a punchline, and now Eli Lilly & Co. is making a splash with Zepbound. The next frontier is weight loss drugs that can be taken by mouth rather than injected. Some doctors are even prescribing the drugs to treat a leading cause of infertility in US women.

Credit: Bloomberg

Team Metabolic Health

A version of this article first appeared in CNBC’s Healthy Returns newsletter, which brings the latest health-care news straight to your inbox. Subscribe here to receive future editions.

Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have so far dominated the booming market for a class of weight loss and diabetes drugs. 

But Eli Lilly may be starting to gain an edge over its Danish competitor in the two-horse race to capitalize on the soaring demand for those treatments, also known as GLP-1s. 

That became clear last week after the pair reported their respective second-quarter earnings. 

“Lilly is pulling ahead in the metabolic duopoly,” BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman said in a research note Thursday. 

On Aug. 7, Novo Nordisk trimmed its full-year profit outlook after reporting that quarterly sales of its weight loss injection Wegovy came in well below Wall Street’s expectations. The disappointing result came due to higher-than-expected price concessions to pharmacy benefit managers, which negotiate drug discounts with manufacturers on behalf of insurers, executives said on a conference call last week. 

Revenue from its blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic also failed to meet estimates for the period. The company’s stock plunged. 

Still, Novo Nordisk slightly increased its guidance for full-year sales growth. 

Eli Lilly’s quarterly report one day later was an entirely different story. The Indianapolis-based company’s weight loss injection Zepbound and diabetes treatment Mounjaro smashed expectations for the second quarter.

An Eli Lilly & Co. Zepbound injection pen, March 28, 2024. (Bloomberg/Getty Images)

Eli Lilly hiked its 2024 revenue outlook by $3 billion and raised its full-year profit guidance on the strong performance of Zepbound and Mounjaro and “improved clarity” into the company’s production expansions for those drugs. 

Unlike Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly benefited from higher U.S. prices of Mounjaro in the quarter as use of savings card programs for the drug decreased. Executives said they expect “stable pricing” for Mounjaro and Zepbound across the last two quarters of 2024. 

Eli Lilly shares closed more than 9% higher Thursday. 

Credit: CNBC

GLP-1RAs may be more effective for patients with immune diseases and type 2 diabetes than DPP-4 inhibitors, as per analysed health records.

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Certain diabetes medications such as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic (semaglutide) reduced the risk of death and heart attacks in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), who also have type 2 diabetes (T2D).

The study, conducted by Arthritis Research Canada, analysed electronic health records from 10,855 adult patients with various autoimmune diseases and T2D taking either glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists GLP-1RAs or dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) in British Columbia over two years.

Those who took GLP-1RAs had fewer major cardiovascular events (MACE) and deaths compared to those taking DPP-4i, a common type of T2D medication. For every 1,000 people, 8.5 deaths occurred in the group on GLP-1RAs, versus 17.9 in the cohort with DPP-4i. This means that the risk of dying was about half as high with GLP-1RAs compared to DPP-4i’s.

IMIDs such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and lupus, often cause chronic inflammation that can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease. This inflammation can also contribute to insulin resistance, a key factor in developing T2D.

Patients with immune diseases and type 2 diabetes taking GLP-1RAs had a lower chance of death compared to those taking DPP-4is. (Image: Shuttercock)

Certain diabetes medications such as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic (semaglutide) reduced the risk of death and heart attacks in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), who also have type 2 diabetes (T2D).

The study, conducted by Arthritis Research Canada, analysed electronic health records from 10,855 adult patients with various autoimmune diseases and T2D taking either glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists GLP-1RAs or dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) in British Columbia over two years.

Those who took GLP-1RAs had fewer major cardiovascular events (MACE) and deaths compared to those taking DPP-4i, a common type of T2D medication. For every 1,000 people, 8.5 deaths occurred in the group on GLP-1RAs, versus 17.9 in the cohort with DPP-4i. This means that the risk of dying was about half as high with GLP-1RAs compared to DPP-4i’s.

IMIDs such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and lupus, often cause chronic inflammation that can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease. This inflammation can also contribute to insulin resistance, a key factor in developing T2D.

GLP-1RAs mimic the effects of the GLP-1 hormone, helping to regulate appetite and blood sugar levels. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are the two biggest players in the space, with many other pharma companies jumping on the bandwagon.

Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide is marketed as Ozempic for T2D, and Wegovy for obesity. Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide is called Mounjaro when packaged as a medication for diabetes, and Zepbound for weight loss. The GLP1-RA market is booming, with Lilly’s Mounjaro and Novo’s Ozempic pulling in $5.16bn and $13.9bn in 2023 respectively, according to the respective companies’ financials. The companies are now looking for expanded labels to increase the reach of the blockbuster drugs.

In March 2024, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a label update for Novo’s Wegovy to include its use as a measure to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, and stroke in adults with heart disease who are diagnosed as obese or overweight. However, their effects on individuals with autoimmune diseases have not been thoroughly investigated, as per Arthritis Research Canada, which sponsored the study.

The findings suggest that GLP-1-RAs may offer a critical advantage in managing diabetes and cardiovascular risk in patients with inflammatory arthritis, said the principal investigator of the study and senior research scientist with Arthritis Research Canada, Dr Antonio Aviña-Zubieta.

In the announcement accompanying the study results, Aviña-Zubieta said: “Given the increased risk of heart disease in this population, the study highlights the potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists as a preferred treatment option for diabetes, paving the way for improved health outcomes and longevity.”

Credit: pharmaceutical-technology.com

Generic version of Victoza, an injectable diabetes medication, launched in late June

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Ozempic, Wegovy and other GLP-1 medications have gained widespread popularity for weight loss and diabetes control in recent years — but the spike in demand has made it difficult for some people to get the drugs.

To help eliminate supply chain snafus, the first-ever generic GLP-1 — a duplicate of Victoza — launched on June 25.

Manufactured by Novo Nordisk and distributed and sold by Israel-based Teva Pharmaceuticals, Victoza is an injectable medication intended to treat type 2 diabetes. It has also been shown to promote weight loss in certain patients, although that is not its intended use.

OZEMPIC AND WEGOVY COULD DOUBLE AS KIDNEY DISEASE TREATMENT, STUDY SUGGESTS

While Ozempic and Wegovy contain semaglutide and Mounjaro has tirzepatide, Victoza has liraglutide as its active ingredient.

“By launching an authorized generic for Victoza (liraglutide injection 1.8mg), we are providing patients with type 2 diabetes another option for this important treatment,” said Ernie Richardsen, SVP, head of U.S. commercial generics at Teva, in a press release from the company.

The first-ever generic GLP-1, a version of Teva Pharmaceuticals’ Victoza, launched in late June 2024. (Getty Images)

The new authorized generic is the exact same medication as brand-name Victoza, but without the brand name on the label and sold at a lower price point, explained Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD, the senior director of Pharmacy Content at GoodRx in St. Louis, Missouri.

OZEMPIC, WEGOVY MAY BE LINKED TO STOMACH PARALYSIS AND OTHER DIGESTIVE ISSUES IN LARGE-SCALE STUDY

Just as Wegovy is a higher-dose version of Ozempic to treat obesity, there is a higher-dose version of Victoza — sold under the brand name Saxenda — but a generic version is not yet available.

“This is a positive step forward to making GLP-1 agonist medications more accessible and affordable,” Billingsley told Fox News Digital via email. 

Victoza is manufactured by Novo Nordisk and distributed and sold by Israel-based Teva Pharmaceuticals. (Getty Images)

This class of drugs has a growing list of beneficial applications beyond just treating type 2 diabetes, Billingsley noted, but their cost can be a barrier for many people to access them.

“In general, authorized generics are usually priced at a discount, potentially making them a more affordable option for some people,” she said. 

AMID ADHD DRUG SHORTAGE, FDA APPROVES GENERIC VERSION OF MEDICATION: ‘OPPORTUNE TIME’

“However, some insurers may still prefer brand-name Victoza, even with a lower-cost authorized generic available.”

Patients should check with their insurance provider to confirm which options are covered and what they can expect to pay, Billingsley advised.

This class of drugs has a growing list of benefits, but cost can be a barrier for some patients. (Getty Images)

Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert, agreed that the availability of the first generic GLP-1 is “great news.”

The generic’s lower price point is particularly beneficial for people who have chronic conditions like diabetes, Osborn noted — “where long-term medication use is necessary to prevent downrange effects like vascular disease, strokes and heart attacks, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, and obesity, the latter of which is also a ‘gateway disease,’” he said. 

OZEMPIC AND OTHER GLP-1 DRUGS COULD REDUCE ARTHRITIS SYMPTOMS IN SOME, EXPERTS CLAIM

Teva’s wholesaler acquisition cost (WAC) for the generic will be 13.6% lower than with Victoza, Teva told Fox News Digital. 

“As a reminder, WAC pricing does not account for the price discounts offered to customers and is not reflective of our final net price, which can be even lower,” the company added. 

Differences between liraglutide and semaglutide

There are some differences between the generic version of Victoza and Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonists, doctors noted.

The new drug’s active ingredient is liraglutide instead of Ozempic’s semaglutide — and it is approved for use in both adults and children age 10 and older who have diabetes.

Semaglutides are not yet approved for children.

While semaglutides like Ozempic are given once each week, liraglutide medications require daily dosing because they have a shorter half-life. (iStock Getty Images)

There are also dosing differences — while semaglutides like Ozempic are given once each week, liraglutide medications require daily dosing because they have a shorter half-life, the doctor said.

“Each medication has pros and cons,” Osborn said. “At base level, however, the molecules are similar and subserve identical bodily functions — appetite suppression and the promotion of insulin secretion from the pancreas.”

The most common side effects of liraglutides include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, indigestion and constipation, according to the company’s release. Other, more serious side effects are possible.

Credit: Fox News

Team Metabolic Health

A small clinical trial suggests that drugs like Ozempic could potentially be used not just for diabetes and weight loss but to protect the brain, slowing the rate at which people with Alzheimer’s disease lose their ability to think clearly, remember things and perform daily activities. The results need to be borne out in larger trials, which are already underway, before the medicines could receive approval for the disease.

Liraglutide is approved for diabetes as Victoza. (Getty Images)

The study, of 204 people with Alzheimer’s disease in the United Kingdom, found that those taking the diabetes drug liraglutide – an earlier medication in Ozempic’s class, which are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists – had 18% slower cognitive decline over the course of a year compared with those taking a placebo.

The trial’s main goal, though – changing the rate at which the brain metabolizes glucose – was not met, which researchers suggested could have been a result of its small size. The findings were shared Tuesday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia and haven’t yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

“We’ve known for some time through animal work that GLP-1 has a different type of activity in the brain,” said Dr. Maria Carrillo, chief science officer and medical affairs lead for the Alzheimer’s Association, which was not involved with the research. “This study really demonstrates for us the possibilities that are there.”

In addition to the benefit for cognition, the study found that the drug was associated with 50% less volume loss in several areas of the brain, according to a news release from the Alzheimer’s Association. Those findings add to hope that larger trials being run by Ozempic’s maker, Novo Nordisk, will be successful, Carrillo told CNN.

Beyond diabetes and weight loss

GLP-1 drugs have exploded in use in recent years for diabetes and weight loss, and they have shown benefits for a wide range of other health conditions, such as protecting the heart and kidneys, reducing sleep apnea and potentially helping with addiction.

Studies in animals have suggested that in the brain, the medicines can reduce neuro-inflammation, tamp down on toxic proteins known as amyloid and tau, improve insulin resistance and increase synaptic function, or the transmission of impulses between cells, said Dr. Paul Edison, professor of neuroscience at Imperial College London, who led the trial.

“This is the first study that actually looked at a relatively large number of patients for whether there is any neuroprotective effect in Alzheimer’s disease,” Edison said.

The trial enrolled predominantly people with mild Alzheimer’s disease, measured by a test known as the Mini-Mental State Examination, a scale that goes up to 30. Those with a score of 21 to 26 are considered to have mild Alzheimer’s disease, and the majority of participants in this study had a score of about 22, although some had scores down to 17, indicating moderate Alzheimer’s, Edison said.

It excluded patients with diabetes to try to control for any effects of that disease, which is itself a risk factor for Alzheimer’s.

Edison and his team ran the trial using liraglutide, a daily injection sold under the brand names Victoza for diabetes and Saxenda for weight loss, because it’s similar to the GLP-1 hormone found in humans, he said, and it was on the market for diabetes when the study started about a decade ago.

Ozempic, which uses the active ingredient semaglutide, was approved in the US for diabetes in 2017 and subsequently in the UK, and its counterpart for weight loss, Wegovy, was approved in the US in 2021. They are given as injections once a week.

The GLP-1 drug class also includes Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound, which use the active ingredient tirzepatide, which mimics not just the hormone GLP-1 but another called GIP. And a snowballing number of additional companies are trying to develop even more powerful drugs. Already, the existing medicines are in shortage as the companies try to keep up with soaring demand.

Competing in Alzheimer’s

Lilly already has a business in Alzheimer’s, gaining approval this month of a treatment called Kisunla that clears buildups of amyloid plaques from the brain. But it hasn’t announced any trials of its GLP-1 drugs in Alzheimer’s.

Lilly told CNN that it “continues to evaluate future development options for tirzepatide but has not announced development plans for Alzheimer’s at this point in time.”

Novo Nordisk, which sells liraglutide and semaglutide, has portrayed its Alzheimer’s trials as a long-shot bet. Its CEO, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, told CNN last year that “Alzheimer’s is one of the most difficult diseases to study, and there’s been a long list of failed drug development.”

“So I would just caution,” he continued, “that this is probably the most risky trial that we have ever undertaken.”

Novo Nordisk is running its trials using a daily pill form of semaglutide, with results expected as soon as the fall of 2025. An oral form is already on the market for diabetes under the brand name Rybelsus.

When it announced the studies in 2020, the Danish drug giant said it planned to enroll about 3,700 people with early Alzheimer’s disease, with a main treatment period of about two years.

The company said in a later investor presentation that its decision to start the phase three trials was based on data including real-world evidence studies showing lower risks of dementia among people on GLP-1 medicines, analyses of effects seen in other clinical trials and animal studies showing that the drugs are associated with improved memory function, reduced neuroinflammation and systemic anti-inflammatory effects.

Earlier this month, a review by researchers at the University of Oxford of US patient records found that semaglutide was associated with a lower risk of cognitive problems and nicotine dependence. It was designed to assess whether the drug could have negative effects on the brain and, instead, found the opposite.

GLP-1 drugs can have side effects, though, primarily gastrointestinal problems like nausea and vomiting. In the liraglutide trial in Alzheimer’s, those effects were most common.

The study received some funding from Novo Nordisk, in addition to the Alzheimer’s Society UK and others.

Although more work needs to be done to prove that GLP-1 drugs could help people with Alzheimer’s, Carrillo heralded the potential for the medicines to be used not just by themselves but potentially in combination with recently approved drugs that clear amyloid plaque buildups from the brain.

“There’s a lot of hope, not only for a positive semaglutide trial but also for the ability to be able to combine that with a monoclonal antibody FDA-approved today,” she said.

Credit: CNN

Lilly’s tirzepatide has shown its worth in another prominent disease as the company races to establish more manufacturing capacity for the drug. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Team Metabolic Health

Eli Lilly’s dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist tirzepatide has already demonstrated its benefits in patients with diabetes, obesity, sleep apnea and fatty liver disease. Now, Lilly is eying another major market with positive results from a trial in patients with heart failure (HF).

In the phase 3 SUMMIT trial, Lilly’s tirzepatide reduced the risk of adverse HF outcomes—such as hospitalization or cardiovascular death—by 38% compared with placebo. The study enrolled 731 patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and obesity.

Besides meeting that primary endpoint of a reduction in HF outcomes, Lilly said tirzepatide improved patients’ HF symptoms and physical limitations versus placebo, the trial’s other primary endpoint. For that endpoint, investigators used the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Clinical Summary Score.

For patients with HFpEF, the heart’s left ventricle becomes stiff and doesn’t allow the heart to fill properly between beats, affecting blood flow. HFpEF cases make up nearly half of all heart failure cases, according to Lilly. Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, inability to exercise and swelling.

Importantly, nearly 60% of HFpEF patients also live with obesity, Lilly’s senior vice president of product development, Jeff Emmick, M.D., Ph.D., said in a statement.

In addition to the trial’s two primary endpoints, tirzepatide met all secondary endpoints, including one measure of improvement in exercise capacity, Lilly said. Further, patients on tirzepatide lost significantly more weight—15.7% on average prior to treatment discontinuation—compared to 2.2% for placebo.

Lilly said it plans to share the results at an upcoming medical meeting and submit them to a peer-reviewed journal.

Eli Lilly invests additional $5.3B for production of diabetes, obesity drugs in Indiana

Lilly’s tirzepatide is already approved in Type 2 diabetes as Mounjaro and obesity as Zepbound and is set to make serious blockbuster sales in those two indications alone. The company plans to submit the SUMMIT study results to the FDA and other regulators “starting later this year,” Lilly said in its release, potentially adding to the drug’s sales trajectory. 

On the market, tirzepatide is going up against Novo’s rival GLP-1 drug semaglutide, which is branded as Ozempic and Rybelsus in diabetes and Wegovy in obesity. A year ago, Novo touted semaglutide’s benefits in a late-stage trial in patients with HFpEF, and the FDA approved a cardio label expansion for the drug in March.

Facing seemingly unlimited demand for the rival medicines, Novo and Lilly have spent billions in recent years building global manufacturing capacity. For Lilly, high tirzepatide demand prompted the company’s recent decision to pledge more than $9 billion to expand in its home state of Indiana.

Credit: https://www.fiercepharma.com/

A new study from Ashoka University highlights the adverse effects of high-carbohydrate diets, using fruit flies to draw parallels to human health. The findings suggest potential risks and call for revised dietary guidelines.

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The experiments were conducted on fruit flies to essentially understand the negative effects high-carbohydrate diets could have on human health. (Photo: Getty Images)

Researchers at Ashoka University, Haryana, have shed light on the significant negative impacts of a high-carbohydrate diet with potential implications for human health.

The study, conducted at the Integrated Genetics and Evolution Laboratory (IGEL) at the Department of Biology, has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Ecology and Evolution.

The experiments were conducted on fruit flies to essentially understand the negative effects high-carbohydrate diets could have on human health.

“Our study found that a high-carbohydrate diet in fruit flies led to several negative effects. It reduced their lifespan, accelerated functional decline, and impaired late-life physiology and behaviour,” co-author of the study Dr Sudipta Tung told IndiaToday.

Fruit flies are commonly used in biomedical research, especially genomic research, providing important indications of how a process might unfold in mammals or humans.

For instance, around 75% of the genes which are known to cause illnesses in humans, also occur in these flies, and they possess more than 90% of the genes that can trigger cancer in humans.

The research highlighted that flies on a high-carbohydrate diet exhibited shorter lifespans, decreased locomotor activity in older males, and compromised gut health in older females.

Additionally, the high-carbohydrate diet delayed developmental time and decreased reproductive output, indicating significant detrimental effects on both early-life and late-life stages.

Dr Tung emphasised the relevance of these findings to human health despite the simplicity of fruit flies compared to humans.

“Although fruit flies are much simpler organisms than humans, they share many genetic and physiological similarities, making them valuable models for studying basic biological processes,” he said.

The study suggests the importance of diet composition and the potential risks associated with high-carbohydrate intake.

This includes metabolic diseases, reduced physical activity, and impaired health in later life.

“Understanding these mechanisms in detail in fruit flies can help us explore how macronutrient composition affects human health. This knowledge could lead to improved dietary recommendations and public health guidelines and inform strategies to combat growing concerns about metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity,” Dr Tung added.

The findings from this study also have significant implications for current dietary recommendations and public health guidelines.

Dr Tung suggested that public health guidelines might need to emphasise not just the caloric content of diets but also the macronutrient composition to prevent metabolic disorders and promote healthy ageing.

“Reducing excessive carbohydrate intake and ensuring a balanced diet with appropriate protein levels could be crucial in mitigating health risks and improving health span,” he advised.

Looking ahead, Dr Tung outlined several next steps for his research, which could influence future studies or clinical trials related to diet and ageing in humans.

The researcher said that the study aims to contribute to more accurate risk assessments for metabolic disorders in large-scale cohort studies and conduct cross-species comparisons to validate findings and explore their relevance across different species.

Ultimately, he plans to design and implement dietary intervention studies and clinical trials in humans to test the impact of macronutrient composition on ageing and metabolic health.

“By advancing our understanding of how diet influences health and ageing, our research can inform future studies and clinical trials, leading to improved dietary guidelines, public health strategies, and personalised nutrition plans aimed at promoting long-term health and preventing diet-related diseases,” Dr Tung concluded.

Credit: India Today

Obesity drugs are also not one-time miracle solutions for weight loss. But in recent years, the development of such drugs globally has been game-changing.

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The development of various weight loss drugs has been a game changer for obesity treatment in recent years, especially in the US and Europe. But these drugs are yet to be commercially available in India, with pending regulatory clearances and high demand abroad delaying their arrival in the country.

But this might soon change. Last week, in a first, an expert committee of India’s drug regulator gave the green light to the drug tirzepatide. Following a review of this recommendation, the drug will be given final approval by the regulator, allowing its manufacturer, Eli Lilly, to launch the product in the Indian market.

Diabetes drug for weight loss

In 2017, the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) approved Danish pharma giant Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, with the active ingredient semaglutide, to manage type 2 diabetes. Soon, doctors in the US saw an interesting side-effect — weight loss.

They started prescribing Ozempic off-label (the practice of prescribing a drug for a different purpose than what has been approved) to treat obesity. A social media frenzy followed, with influencers flooding TikTok and Instagram with posts about their dramatic weight loss transformations, all courtesy Ozempic.

This made Novo Nordisk explore semaglutide as a weight loss drug for people without diabetes. In 2021, the company released Wegovy, a semaglutide injection, as an FDA-approved obesity treatment. The key difference between Ozempic and Wegovy: the maximum approved dose of semaglutide is slightly higher with Wegovy than Ozempic. Currently, there is a global shortage of both drugs amid soaring demand.

Weight loss drug tirzepatide, marketed by US pharma giant Eli Lilly as Zepbound, is on the cusp of getting regulatory approval in India.

In November 2023, Eli Lilly, another US pharma major, got FDA approval for the drug Zepbound to treat obesity. This came just over a year after its type 2 diabetes medication, Mounjaro, was launched. Like Ozempic, Mounjaro too led to weight loss among users, and began to see rampant off-label use. Zepbound and Mounjaro contain tirzepatide as the active ingredient. Both face shortages in the global market.

Semaglutide vs tirzepatide

The FDA has approved Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide) for chronic weight management in adults. These drugs can be prescribed to those who are obese (with a body mass index of over 30), or overweight (with a BMI between 27 and 30), and have at least one other health condition related to their weight (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes).

Both are administered as under-the-skin injections, and are intended to be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. The dosage is increased gradually, reaching a maximum dosage of 2.4 mg for semaglutide and 15 mg for tirzepatide. This does not, however, mean that the latter is ‘stronger’ than the former.

Semaglutide and tirzepatide are polypeptides, small proteins that boost the levels of naturally-occurring hormones in the body, including that of glucagon-like-peptide 1 (GLP-1), which control weight through the brain and digestive tract.

Higher GLP-1 levels, released in the gut, spark a reaction by stimulating neurons that alter gut function, leading to a sense of fullness. This process also taps into a brain mechanism that lights up neural pathways, triggering the sensation of satiety — the feeling of being satisfied and having had enough to eat.

They also help manage glucose levels, making them an effective treatment for diabetes.

Semaglutide only targets GLP-1 receptors. On the other hand, tirzepatide also boosts a second hormone: glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). The GIP also regulates weight through receptors in brain and fat cells. Eli Lilly claims that the combined action of GLP-1 and GIP enhance each other’s effects.

Promising global trials

Global trials for Zepbound have yielded promising results. The phase three trials involved 2,539 participants, each randomised to receive either a placebo or one of three doses of tirzepatide: 5 mg, 10 mg, or 15 mg.

Over the course of 72 weeks, those on the 5 mg dose lost 15% of their body weight on average, while the 10 mg group shed 19.5%. The 15 mg group achieved a remarkable 20.9% weight reduction — this translates to someone weighing 75 kg shedding more than 15 kg. About 91% of individuals on the 15 mg dose achieved a weight loss of at least 5%. In stark contrast, the placebo group had an average weight reduction of only 3.1%.

This sustained weight reduction was accompanied by improvements in all prespecified cardiometabolic measures.

Zepbound got regulatory clearance in India based on data from these trials, in which Indians took part as well. But the aforementioned expert committee has imposed a crucial rider — the company will have to conduct a phase IV, post-marketing surveillance trial to scrutinise side effects that might have been missed in previous trials, and the drug’s efficacy among India’s diverse population.

Some side effects of the drug

According to the company, Zepbound’s most common side effects include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, indigestion, injection-site reactions, fatigue, allergic reactions, belching, hair loss, and heartburn.

Eli Lilly specifically highlights the risk of thyroid tumours, including thyroid cancer. “Watch for possible symptoms, such as a lump or swelling in the neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath,” the manufacturer says. Individuals cannot use Zepbound if they, or any family members, have ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a type of thyroid cancer, or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2), a rare, inherited disorder that affects the endocrine glands.

Zepbound is a prescription medicine. It cannot — and should not — be used for cosmetic weight loss.

Weight back if drug is stopped

Obesity drugs are also not one-time miracle solutions for weight loss — data from trials indicate that these drugs need to continue to be taken for their weight loss and other effects to last.

In Wegovy’s STEP 1 extension trial with 327 participants, those using Wegovy for 68 weeks achieved a remarkable average weight loss of 17.3%, compared to just 2.0% for those on a placebo. But after stopping the medication, by week 120, Wegovy users had regained most of their weight — effectively seeing an average weight loss of only 5.6% compared to 0.1% for the placebo group. Improvements in heart and metabolic health seen during the treatment period also tended to revert to baseline levels once the treatment was stopped.

Bottom of Form

At the end of the day, obesity is a complex, chronic, and progressive disease which has to be managed throughout one’s life.

Credit: Indian Express

Swiss biotech company Asceneuron said on Tuesday it had raised $100 million from investors including the controlling shareholder of Wegovy maker Novo Nordisk to fund clinical development of its Alzheimer’s disease drug.

The Series C round was led by Novo Holdings, the investment arm of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which will hold a board seat on the Lausanne-based company. Asceneuron’s lead experimental drug ASN51 is from a new class of drugs called O-GlcNAcase (OGA) inhibitors.

The company and Novo Holdings say they expect future trials to uphold their assertion that ASN51 is superior to those from the same class in development by rivals Biogen (BIIB.O), opens new tab, Merck & Co (MRK.N), opens new tab and Eli Lilly (LLY.N), opens new tab.

OGA inhibitors prevent the aggregation of tau proteins in the brain to slow Alzheimer’s progression. They are pills and could be a companion to another class of treatments that are injections targeting the beta amyloid protein. Asceneuron will use the funds for a phase 2 trial that will begin later this year, CEO Barbara Angehrn Pavik said.

Naveed Siddiqi, senior partner at Novo Holdings, said that for decades drugmakers had failed to develop effective treatments for Alzheimer’s despite the large number of people suffering from it, deterring investors.

But the field has recently reached an inflection point, he said, with breakthrough treatments that remove toxic proteins from the brain spurring new interest. His view echoed those of scientists and company executives interviewed by Reuters in November.

A week ago Novo Holdings led a separate 90 million pound ($116.78 million) funding round for British biotech Myricx Pharma to progress its experimental cancer drugs.

The wealth and influence of the Novo Nordisk Foundation is growing rapidly on the back of soaring profits from Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss drug Wegovy and type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic.

Novo Holdings’ capital to invest is also burgeoning. Its CEO Kasim Kutay told Reuters last year that its deal size in healthcare will rise, particularly for its principal investments, which is a separate part of the firm from the venture investments group leading this month’s deals.

Credit: Reuters

Team Metabolic Health

Employers have aggressively sought out technical AI talent, resulting in a 323% increase in hiring. The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence is causing a paradigm shift in business. Within the next five years, 41% of executives anticipate a complete overhaul of business processes, rebuilding them from scratch with AI at the core, according to a recent report by Microsoft and LinkedIn.

A significant portion (42%) foresee the need to train and develop teams of AI-powered bots, as well as ensure the responsible and ethical implementation of AI (47%).

Businesses across diverse sectors, like healthcare, finance, marketing, e-commerce and manufacturing, are increasingly adopting AI technologies to drive innovation, increase productivity, automate tasks and gain insights from big data.

However, more than half of the business leaders surveyed (55%) expressed worry about their ability to find sufficient talent to fill positions within the next year. Employers have aggressively sought out technical AI talent, resulting in a 323% increase in hiring over the past eight years. They are also expanding their search, looking to acquire non-technical talent that possesses AI skills.

AI Skills Can Fast Track Your Career

An aptitude for AI is becoming increasingly essential for workers to stay competitive and relevant in a rapidly transforming job market. The high demand for AI professionals, coupled with a shortage of qualified talent, is making AI expertise a valuable asset and can even enhance your career prospects.

“Learning basic AI skills—such as prompt engineering, machine learning or data literacy—is the best insurance to shortcut your competitiveness against people who might have more experience,” Aneesh Raman, the chief economic opportunity officer at LinkedIn, told CNBC Make It.

The 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report by Microsoft and LinkedIn indicates that AI skills may become as important as job experience in the hiring process.

The research shows that the majority of business leaders (66%) will not consider hiring a candidate who does not possess AI skills. In fact, 71% of executives say they prefer to hire a candidate with AI skills, even if they have less experience, over a more experienced candidate who lacks an aptitude for AI.

For workers, this demand may lead to increased salaries in a sector where the average pay is already considerably higher than in many other professions. A survey by Biz Report revealed that AI-related roles offer compensation that exceed those in other fields by more than 77%.

Additionally, while core software engineering skills will always be valuable, AI adds a new dimension. Therefore, just having coding skills may not be enough to compete in the evolving tech landscape.

Workers Are Leveling Up

Workers are urgently trying to retrain and acquire AI skills as companies are assessing their hiring needs and rapidly shifting their focus. The competition and urgency for AI skills is being driven by workers’ fears that their jobs could become obsolete if they don’t gain expertise in this game-changing technology.

People are taking courses, adding AI buzzwords to their résumés and competing fiercely for the AI job openings available. Seventy-six percent of workers recognize that they need AI skills to stand out in today’s labor market. Moreover, 69% of individuals believe that AI can accelerate their chances of promotion, while an even larger percentage (79%) assert that possessing AI skills will expand their job prospects.

The number of non-technical professionals utilizing LinkedIn Learning courses aimed at enhancing AI skills has surged by 160%, particularly among roles such as project managers, architects and administrative assistants who are eager to improve their AI aptitude.

Data shows a 142x increase in LinkedIn members adding AI skills, like ChatGPT and Copilot, to their profiles in the past year, as they try to make career pivots into AI.

While employers look to fill their AI-related positions, job seekers are up for the challenge. Job postings on LinkedIn that reference AI or generative AI have experienced a 17% higher increase in applications over the past two years compared to those that do not include these terms.

Credit: Forbes

Team Metabolic Health

Integrating these 5 everyday healthy hacks into your lifestyle can make a noticeable difference in your weight loss journey. Small changes can lead to significant results over time. Embrace these habits, and you’ll be on your way to achieving impressive weight loss and better overall health.

Achieving weight loss can feel like a daunting task, but adding simple, healthy habits into our daily routine can make the journey smoother and more enjoyable. These 5 everyday hacks are proven to help drop extra kilos effectively. Whether someone is aiming for a major transformation or just looking to lose a few extras, these tips will set us on the right path.

Start the day with protein

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially when it comes to weight loss. Eating a high-protein breakfast can reduce cravings and calorie intake throughout the day. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that participants who consumed a high-protein breakfast experienced less hunger and fewer cravings than those who ate a high-carb breakfast. Adding foods like eggs, curd, or a protein smoothie can give us the energy we need and keep us full until lunch.

Drink water before meals

Drinking water before meals can significantly aid in weight loss. According to a study by the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Tech, individuals who drank 16 ounces of water before each meal lost 44% more weight over a 12-week period compared to those who didn’t. Water helps fill our stomach, making us feel full faster and reducing overall calorie intake. It’s a simple yet effective hack to enhance your weight loss efforts.

Choose whole foods over processed ones

Whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins are packed with nutrients and lower in calories compared to processed foods. Processed foods often contain added sugars, unhealthy fats, and high levels of sodium, which can contribute to weight gain. Research published in the journal Cell Metabolism showed that participants who ate a diet rich in whole foods consumed 500 fewer calories per day and lost more weight compared to those who ate processed foods. Filling our plate with colourful, nutrient-dense foods not only aids in weight loss but also improves overall health.

Enjoy the daily exercises

Adding physical activity into our daily routine doesn’t necessarily mean hitting the gym. Simple activities like walking, taking the stairs, gardening, or even dancing around our living room can help burn calories and boost our metabolism. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week for substantial health benefits.

How important is a good sleeping schedule

Quality sleep is often overlooked in weight loss strategies, but it plays a crucial role. Lack of sleep disrupts the hormones that regulate hunger and appetite, leading to increased cravings and overeating. A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that participants who slept for only 5.5 hours per night lost less fat and more muscle compared to those who slept for 8.5 hours.

Credit: TOI

K. Srinath Reddy is a public health intellectual who doesn’t mince words. An alumnus of Osmania General Hospital, the honorary distinguished professor at the Public Health Foundation of India (PFHI) in an interview, shares his thoughts on the evolving healthcare scenario in the country. Here are some excerpts:

Primary Health Centres (PHCs) are often neglected. What measures can be taken to strengthen them?

Primary health care often suffers neglect because legislators and parliamentarians hailing from districts prefer to stay in the State capital, where they also receive medical treatment. If these MLAs and MPs volunteer to get treated in village health centres, that would drive the strengthening of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs).

How can public health sector be revilatised?

Robust public health sector is essential. Firstly, it provides access to healthcare for those who cannot afford private care. Secondly, it sets standards for the private healthcare sector in terms of affordability and accountability, preventing inappropriate practices and ensuring equitable healthcare.”

What are the challenges faced by public health system in utilising allocated funds?

The Central government argues that current funds allocated to public health facilities are under-utilised, with some even being returned. The core issue is public health system’s inability to efficiently absorb and use these funds without upfront investments in infrastructure, supplies, and equipment. This front-end spending is crucial for enhancing institutional capacity. It is like depriving a starving person food. Unless the hospitals function at optimal level they cannot absorb additional funds.

Why has the demand for modern hospital facilities increased?

Doctors advocating for modern hospitals have observed the rise of advanced facilities nationwide over the past 15-20 years whereas the argument should be that hospital interiors can still be modernised, ensuring doctors work in state-of-the-art environments while preserving historical value. We are in this scenario because economists considered healthcare as an inefficient expenditure compared to other sectors.

Should public and private health sectors compete or collaborate?

The public sector should coexist with, not compete against, the private sector. Without a public presence, the private sector may engage in inappropriate, unnecessary, and unaffordable care. Public health management prioritises efficiency and equity, unlike the private sector, which focuses on efficiency and profit. Training of medical students in private hospitals can lead to a generation of doctors who prioritise high-cost care models, even if they are inappropriate and unaffordable. A well-functioning public sector is crucial.

What does the future hold for India in terms of medical tourism?

Many high-income countries are struggling to expand healthcare facilities, turning the people’s attention to South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa for future development. Countries like India can meet their medical needs but such cooperation also requires co-investment to address deficits in these regions.

Credit: The Hindu

Team Metabolic Health

Trial results show Eli Lilly’s (LLY.N), opens new tab weight loss drug Zepbound reduces the risk of hospitalization, death and other outcomes for obese adults with a common type of heart failure, the company said on Thursday as it continues to build a case for the medication’s wider health benefits.

Shares of the drugmaker rose more than 3% in early trade.

The drug, also known as tirzepatide, reduced the risk of a composite of heart failure urgent visit or hospitalization, oral diuretic intensification or cardiovascular death by 38% compared to a placebo.

The trial enrolled 731 patients across 10 countries who have heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and obesity.

The condition “accounts for nearly half of all heart failure cases, and in the U.S. almost 60% of those impacted also live with obesity,” Jeff Emmick, Lilly senior vice president, product development, said in a statement.

Lilly said the study also showed the drug significantly improved heart failure symptoms and physical limitations.

Heart failure is a condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. It is associated with a high burden of symptoms and physical limitations affecting daily life, including fatigue, shortness of breath, reduced ability to exercise and swelling of extremities.

Trial patients on tirzepatide were given weekly injections of the highest dose they could tolerate, up to 15 milligrams, and were followed for a median of two years.

The drug led to 15.7% weight loss in the combined population of people with and without type 2 diabetes, compared with 2.2% for the placebo, Lilly said. For the non-diabetes patients, weight loss was 13.9%.

Zepbound, also sold under the brand name Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes, is part of a top-selling class of drugs designed to mimic the action of the GLP-1 hormone, which helps regulate blood sugar, slow digestion and decrease appetite.

Lilly said the most common side effects for trial patients on tirzepatide were diarrhea, nausea, constipation and vomiting.

The company said it plans to submit the heart failure results to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory agencies starting later this year. The findings will also be presented at an upcoming medical meeting and submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.

Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), opens new tab has reported data showing its GLP-1 weight loss drug Wegovy reduces heart failure symptoms.

Keep up with the latest medical breakthroughs and healthcare trends with the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter. Sign up here.

Credit: Reuters

Zendesk acquires Ultimate to take AI agents to a new level

Customer experience platforms, or CX platforms, are designed with the entire company in mind. We researched reviews from real users to gauge their opinion of each platform. This entailed looking at ratings from customers on popular review sites Capterra, G2 and Trustpilot that were at 3.5 out of 5. From first appearances this platform brings together quite a few other collaborative applications in the Office 365 suite and allows you to use them in one place. My only worry is that MS is working a little too fast in bringing all of these features which makes me question what the level of support will be.

The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to bringing you unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. You can foun additiona information about ai customer service and artificial intelligence and NLP. We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content and guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey. Intercom, which provides various customer-facing products for online businesses, announced today that it has raised a whopping $125 million led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers. New investor GV joined existing investors Bessemer Venture Partners, Index Ventures, and others in the round.

Ways AI Can Transform Your Short-Term Rental Business

ChatGPT can be trained on your existing customer support interactions, enabling it to provide personalized responses and resolve customer queries more efficiently. By leveraging ChatGPT to automate customer support, startups can improve response times, enhance customer satisfaction, and free up valuable resources for other growth-oriented activities. Customers using Service Cloud are also able to access improved customer support and reduce costs, which ultimately lead to better customer experience. Harnessing the power of AI frees customer service agents up and boosts their productivity, in addition to offering them one AI-powered workspace to manage their caseloads. Live chat software works by embedding a chat widget on your website, which allows visitors to initiate real-time conversations with your support team or sales representatives. When a visitor starts a chat, the conversation appears in the software’s operator dashboard, where agents can respond and manage multiple chats simultaneously.

Katherine Haan is a small business owner with nearly two decades of experience helping other business owners increase their incomes. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website.

Cheap and Best Intercom.io Alternatives in 2020

If a more simplified experience is what you are after, User.com (aka user engage) is the one I would recommend you try out. So, irrespective of where your priority lies, you can fine-tune each aspect to get your work done with the needed proficiency. This Intercom alternative also packs most of the basic functionalities a brand is looking for in a CRM messaging platform.

The organisation provides companies with an all-in-one solution to manage all their customer interactions digitally. It is able to offer data-driven insights and best practice advice for reputation management, social media prowess and advanced digital customer experiences with the goal of revolutionising the customer experience. Medallia is a pioneer and market leader in customer and employee experience.

“With stronger growth, which I expect and which we’re playing for, we’ll break even again much sooner or get even more aggressive with our investments,” he said. The group will add 22 staff across the rest of its research and development division. It will also add $13 million to its annual marketing spend, bringing it to a total of $37 million per year. This extra spend of $94 million will cover an increase in the group’s machine-learning team headcount from 19 to 72 by the end of next year. “This will require an epic lift to make happen, but will dramatically increase our ability to ship great AI tech fast,” he said. He said many companies would share in the billions to be made in the AI market, and that Intercom would “lean in as hard as we can and deploy very large amounts of our cash reserves” to make it the biggest player.

Service Hub launched in 2018 as an all-in-one customer service solution powered by HubSpot’s customer relationship management (CRM) platform. Now, it’s receiving new tools infused with HubSpot AI to help keep customers happy. Birdeye is designed to provide businesses an intuitive and integrated solution with embedded AI and automation that’s easy to use and scale. Founded in 2012, more than 150,000 businesses rely on Birdeye to shift to digital customer experiences. Qualtrics is an American experience management company, with its Qualtrics XM platform enabling users to gain a holistic understanding of a company’s customer experiences. As a result, businesses can take the right actions to drive meaningful business impact.

The firm has offices in more than a dozen countries and competes with Salesforce and Intercom, both also based in San Francisco, to develop and sell customer service software to other companies. Second, Plain is highly customizable when it comes to integrating support actions in your product. It doesn’t have to be a chat popup in the bottom-right corner ChatGPT of the website. Developers can customize the user interface and create new interactions, such as early access requests, product feedback features and native contact forms. But as we’ve already mentioned before, the platform is heavy on the pocket and budding businesses may not be quite comfortable with spending lavishly on live customer support.

Zoho CRM Plus, an offering by Zoho Corp, is designed to unify enterprise data and analytics from marketing, sales and customer service teams to offer meaningful insights. Its interactive and customisable dashboards, along with its AI-powered voice and text commands, provide in-depth analysis for every customer and business decision. Intercom, Inc. is a software company that specialises in business messaging that provides businesses with a way to chat with their customers. First founded in 2011, customer service and support teams at more than 25,000 businesses now use Intercom’s complete customer service solution to drive faster growth through better customer relationships.

Intercom boss wants ‘aggression on all fronts’ in €87m AI investment

Utilize Sprout’s Instagram integration to create, schedule, publish and engage with posts. Below are solutions that are either built into or integrated with some of the biggest CRMs. Making a positive impression on your customers is and will always be a top priority. After the pandemic boom in revenues and head counts at tech companies, the last year has seen scores of layoffs across the sector and the Bay Area.

If you are one of them, we have jotted down the top 15 Intercom alternatives which you can use to communicate and engage with your customers seamlessly. “One of the things we struggled with for the longest time was picking a lane,” McCabe said. “We sold to sales, marketing, support teams and had many different types of use cases. Intercom was winning big customers but to the detriment of missing out on mid-market firms.

Zendesk is great for any business looking to grow its customer support in the future. It offers a vast range of features, such as the ability to brand the chat box with your company’s logo, as well as unlimited websites and integrations with a variety of platforms. Customers can also engage with live agents through a visitor list or automatic messages. It’s no secret that live chat software is a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes.

Another feature that makes Zoho Desk a great asset for businesses is an in-depth analysis that allows you to figure out the right trends and patterns. With a better analysis, you can spot the shortcomings that need to be addressed and figure out the areas that warrant more attention. Before getting started with the roundup, let’s figure out some of the viable reasons why it’s intercom vs. zendesk worth exploring the noted Intercom substitutes! Whether you are hunting for a free variant or wish to significantly cut down the monthly price, they can fit into your needs. “If it becomes the case that new capital would be helpful, I don’t think we’d have trouble raising,” McCabe said. To achieve that, he said, it was possible cash in Intercom might fall to $100 million.

• As the industry continues to evolve, the need for innovative solutions to enhance guest experiences and maximize revenue becomes increasingly critical.
• It offers templates and resources for creating virtual characters that consumers can interact with.
• Botsonic’s AI chatbot can handle more than 1,000 chats simultaneously and features built-in safeguards to eliminate off-topic conversations and misleading responses when resolving customer service inquiries.
• Its no-code bot-builder can handle a variety of customer queries on its own, and it can prepare your human agents with valuable insight on customer sentiment when a handoff occurs.
• “There’s an argument to make that technology investing, at least at a very early stage, isn’t that hard,” McCabe added.

Choose from its free live chat tools or select any of its more robust all-in-one suite of solutions. TheLoops platform combines data from several sources to provide insights into customers’ use, sentiment, and health. The best AI chatbot for customer service will depend on the nature of your business. Various AI chatbots are available for customer service, and some have been built with specific industries or use cases in mind. Some of the most popular chatbots offer no-code bot-building capabilities, multilingual support, multichannel deployment, and business system integrations.

The platform employs a search engine similar to Google, cognitive decision trees, and visual instructions to speed service, automate response processing, and simplify troubleshooting procedures. Using cutting-edge AI technology, Chatfuel AI is a chatbot builder allowing organizations to advance consumer interactions. The platform provides a quick and effective approach to building chatbots that can interact with clients in a warm, human-like manner and provide thorough answers to their questions. The solution enables companies to inform clients about their goods and services, respond to their inquiries, provide product recommendations, and more by using built-in ChatGPT by Open AI. If you approach it creatively, ChatGPT offers you an array of growth hacking opportunities, from personalized customer interactions to content generation, lead generation, and product innovation. By leveraging the power of this advanced language model, startups can automate tasks, enhance user experiences, and drive business growth.

• Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly.
• When a visitor starts a chat, the conversation appears in the software’s operator dashboard, where agents can respond and manage multiple chats simultaneously.
• AI chatbots have many use cases for business, so start by thinking about why you need one and your goals for using it.
• The conversational technology built into Second Nature’s sales training software simulates real conversations with sales representatives.
• A messaging software called QuickReplai uses cutting-edge AI technology to respond to messages effectively and quickly.

However, they may require more resources and can only manage a limited number of chats simultaneously. Pure Chat is best suited for advanced sales and marketing teams seeking a comprehensive live chat solution that offers a balance between data-driven insights, affordability and customization. ClickDesk is perfect for businesses that want to give top-notch customer service with instant messaging, email and social media. The platform is also beneficial for companies looking to enhance their customer support with video chat and mobile support capabilities.

You may be thinking that there must be a catch because who provides you such a complex platform for free. Well, there is nothing – no cap on the number of visitors, agents, or even ad placement. Also, you can use ChatGPT to assist with A/B testing and conversion rate optimization (CRO) efforts. ChatGPT can generate alternative versions of landing page copy, call-to-action messages, or email subject lines. By comparing the performance of different variations, startups can identify winning combinations that drive higher conversions and optimize their growth funnel. In order to optimise ecommerce and/or ad conversions, it’s important to test, test, test.

To determine the best live chat software, Forbes Advisor looked at a variety of factors important to small businesses. These included features, ease of use, customer satisfaction, support options, API access, integrations and value for money. After assigning a weight to each factor, we calculated a score for each live chat software.

Service Hub prides itself on helping companies deepen their customer relationships and driving business progress forward as a result. Zendesk is a complete customer service solution that is easy to use and scales in line with business needs. It offers a combination of broad customer service expertise and a deep product knowledge to help businesses deliver improved CX, ranging from strategic implementation advice, to an always-on service. The company’s Complete AI-First Platform is designed to improve customer service experiences for customers and support teams alike. Headquartered in San Francisco, Intercom also holds offices in Chicago, Dublin, Sydney and London. You can also video chat with customers, allowing for more personalized support.

By analyzing guest data such as booking history, preferences, and on-property behavior, AI can provide tailored recommendations for accommodations, amenities, and local experiences. As the industry continues to evolve, the need for innovative solutions to enhance guest experiences and maximize revenue becomes increasingly critical. Fred Ball will join Intercom’s Board of Directors to advise on overall direction and business strategy. He currently sits on the boards of Contentful, Advanced Energy and FirstMark Horizon Acquisition Corporation, and was previously on the board of SendGrid, acquired by Twilio.

They are also found across most communication channels, from voice assistants to pop-up chatbots on websites. As we move forward, the integration of AI in customer communication platforms will only deepen, leading to even more personalized, efficient, and delightful customer experiences. Businesses that leverage these tools effectively will not only gain a competitive edge but also foster stronger, more meaningful relationships with their customers. Crisp takes the lead on its competitors by offering you a free tier that provides access to necessary features, locking the analytics, and a few add-on stuff. You’re required to shell out $25/month to support a team of 4 agents, unlimited chat history, automated triggers, user location map, and integrations such as Facebook Messenger. There’s also a tool Pitre describes as Service Hub’s “killer feature,” a support agent.

By training ChatGPT on your brand’s tone, style, and content preferences, you can automate the creation of blog posts, social media updates, and even email newsletters. Additionally, ChatGPT can be used to curate content from various sources, allowing startups to streamline their content creation process and engage their audience more effectively. You can empower your sales team with a virtual sales assistant powered by ChatGPT. By training ChatGPT on successful sales interactions and product knowledge, you can create a scalable and consistent sales support system. This virtual sales assistant can potentially handle lead qualification, provide product recommendations, and even handle routine sales tasks, freeing up your sales team to focus on high-value activities.

And DevRev’s simplified stack can co-exist or replace solutions such as Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, Intercom, and Atlassian Jira. Intercom is a software solution that combines an AI chatbot, help desk, and proactive support to streamline customer communications across email, SMS, and more. AI chatbots provide value in various situations and applications, from customer service and sales to content creation and analytics.

Customers may ask any inquiry and get an immediate response thanks to it, and it also exposes client blind spots. Existing knowledgebases may be transferred in minutes and are simple to use. Instant proofreading, AI-powered search, analytics, and multilingual assistance are all offered by Brainfish.

Getting my start with technology journalism back in 2016, I have been working in the industry for over 7 years. Currently, as the Editor of Beebom, I’m leading the coverage on the website. While my expertise lies in Android, Windows, and the apps world, find me reading manga, watching anime, and playing Apex in my free time. Though both Intercom and User Engage are better, the latter ChatGPT App has an edge over the former when it comes to offering simplified experience and campaign creation. It also operates a little differently than Intercom, wherein you don’t just shoot a message in the air and wait for a reply from the support people. The LiveAgent chatting widget first searches and then connects you to a live representative to initiate a two-way conversation.

The platform provides APIs to allow developers to tinker and build features atop the current offering. Though not available for free, Live Chat (previously known as chat.io) is a smarter and cheaper alternative for Intercom users. It does include most of the features already available within Intercom but then tops it with message sneak peeks, agent ratings, chat routing, and integrations for the chat widget. The primary focus of Tawk.to is providing brands with a multitude of features you find in common live messaging platforms for free. This means you can customize the chat widget, converse via mobile (even by using pre-defined shortcuts), analyze visitors in real-time, and trigger actions to proactively interact with them. As technology continues to evolve, the possibilities for startups to leverage ChatGPT for growth hacking purposes are only limited by their creativity and ingenuity.

Microsoft on Wednesday announced Teams, its own attempt at a workplace chat platform akin to rivals like HipChat and Slack, with support for Mac, iOS, Windows, Android, and the Web. For instance, Dashlane noticed a 25% decrease in opened tickets for their most frequent issues after using Stonly. The company has no plans, he said, to raise more money beyond the $239 million it’s picked up so far from Kleiner Perkins, GV, Index and others that have backed it to date. Additionally, AI can identify opportunities for upselling by suggesting additional charges for amenities or services based on guest preferences and booking data. Optimizing pricing is crucial for maximizing revenue in the short-term rental industry. Try Shopify for free, and explore all the tools you need to start, run, and grow your business.

Look for live chat software that integrates with popular CRM, marketing, analytics and support tools to ensure compatibility with your existing workflow. HubSpot is best for sales and marketing teams that want to provide top-notch customer support. HubSpot’s features include custom branding, team collaboration, conversation management and integration with other software. LiveChat is best for businesses that want to improve their customer service. It offers 24/7 support, making it easy for businesses to get the help they need. This software is customizable, efficient and secure thanks to security features such as credit card masking and two-step verification.

Built from the ground up with Shopify merchants in mind, Certainly offers deep industry knowledge, ecommerce-focused AI, and bespoke industry data to help you create better customer relationships. Offering support in over 100 languages, it can seamlessly integrate with Shopify and the rest of your tech stack. As a result, HubSpot’s service suite acknowledges the need for an “always-on” service strategy. The platform supports a variety of knowledge base and portal features to help customers get answers around the clock. Coupled with your CRM data and customer inbox in one place, users can provide personalized service with less bouncing around. If you ask most entrepreneurs, there is no doubt their first recommendation for a live chat messenger will always be Intercom.

FP Explainers 

Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical company, has received the first approval for the sale of its blockbuster drug Tirzepatide in India. While India has given the initial nod for it mainly for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, it has been used elsewhere to treat weight loss. Here’s what we know about this ‘game-changing’ medication

A box of Mounjaro, a tirzepatide injection drug used for treating type 2 diabetes made by Lilly is seen at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah. The wait for this drug in India has become shorter after the country’s drug regulator gave it the first approval. File image/Reuters

The wait for India’s weight watchers is almost over. Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic, Zepbound, which have been huge hits in the American and European markets — Ozempic has been credited with boosting Denmark’s economy — will soon make its debut in the Indian markets.

Last week, the apex drug regulator’s, Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), subject expert committee gave the green light to Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide — the active ingredient in the company’s Mounjaro and Zepbound.

However, Elli Lilly told Economic Times: “The apex drug regulator has so far given a go-ahead for its import and marketing for diabetes and not for weight loss. The obesity indication is undergoing review by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).”

But what is tirzepatide and how does it help in shedding kilos.

What is tirzepatide?

Tirzepatide is the main component of Eli Lilly’s drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound . It’s important to note here that Mounjaro is the brand name for diabetes, while Zepbound is for weight loss.

Medical experts note that tirzepatide works by mimicking two important hormones in the body: GIP and GLP-1.

When injected, it activates receptors for these hormones, triggering several effects. It stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin, and even signals the brain to feel full. What this means is that the drug not only reduces the sugar levels in the blood but also reduces appetite, leading to weight loss in people with obesity.

Some experts note that what makes tirzepatide even more effective is that it imitates GIP, which — along with reducing appetite — may also improve how the body breaks down sugar and fat, helping to amplify the weight loss effects.

Studies show that tirzepatide is very effective in its fight against weight loss. A July 2022 study in The New England Journal of Medicine found that those taking a lower dose of tirzepatide achieved an average weight reduction of 16 per cent, or 16 kilogrammes, in about a year. Those taking a higher dose had a 21.4 per cent reduction in body weight or 22 kilogrammes.

An injection pen of Zepbound, Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug, is displayed in New York City. Eli Lilly’s both drugs – Mounjaro and Zepbound – both contain tirzepatide. File image/Reuters

Are there any side effects to tirzepatide?

Earlier, an Eli Lilly-funded study of tirzepatide for obesity showed that gastrointestinal issues were the most common side effects. Approximately, one-third of the people taking the highest dose of tirzepatide experienced nausea and around one-fifth experienced diarrhoea. Some participants also reported abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, headache and dizziness.

As per the FDA, people taking Zepbound may also experience burping, hair loss and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

People who are pregnant should not take the medication. The FDA said patients should also be monitored for depression or suicidal thoughts and should stop taking if symptoms develop.

How can tirzepatide be misused?

While India’s drug regulator’s SEC has given the nod for the sale of tirzepatide for type 2 diabetes, there are concerns that it will be prescribed off-label — the practice of prescribing a drug for a different purpose than what has been approved.

That’s exactly what happened in the US. In 2017, the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) approved Danish pharma giant Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic , with the active ingredient semaglutide, to manage type 2 diabetes. However, doctors soon saw another side effect — weight loss. This led to a frenzy on social media as well as in the real world.

This led Novo Nordisk, in 2021, to release Wegovy, a semaglutide injection, as an FDA-approved obesity treatment.

Today, there’s a global shortage of both drugs, as the demand for them has exceeded expectations.

When can we expect tirzepatide in the country?

Earlier this year, Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks told Reuters that Mounjaro could launch in India as early as 2025. On the other hand, Novo Nordisk plans to launch its weight-loss drug in India by 2026.

An Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Branchburg, New Jersey. Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks had earlier said that hat Mounjaro could launch in India as early as 2025. File image/Reuters

When it makes its entry in India, the drug is expected to make big gains. That’s because India has the world’s second-highest number of people with type 2 diabetes and high obesity rates. A study in Lancet in 2023 estimated that 101 million people in India — 11.4 per cent of the country’s population — are living with diabetes.

Moreover, obesity is also on the rise in the country. As per the World Obesity Federation Atlas, around 11 per cent of Indian adults will be obese by 2034.

However, doctors note that these drugs aren’t miracle solutions for weight loss — data indicates that these drugs need to continue to be taken for their weight loss and other effects to last. For instance, a study of Wegovy reveals that those using Wegovy for 68 weeks achieved a remarkable average weight loss of 17.3 per cent. But after stopping the medication, by week 120, Wegovy users had regained most of their weight — effectively seeing an average weight loss of only 5.6 per cent.

Nevertheless, the green signal for this drug is expected to be a huge game-changer in the medical world.

With inputs from agencies

Credit: Firstpost