Monday: Novo prices the Wegovy pill

BioBucks Newsletter

Monday, 5 January, 2026

Upfront Briefing

Novo Nordisk launched a pill form of Wegovy with tiered pricing ($25/month for insured patients, $149 cash), turning the GLP-1 format race into a pricing story, too.

In BD, Servier tapped Insilico Medicine’s AI platform for early cancer R&D — another real-world “show me” moment for platform economics.

And on the regulatory front, Sanofi’s Tzield was accepted for FDA priority review in young children with stage 2 type 1 diabetes, potentially pulling forward a label expansion timeline.

Tape Action

Instrument	Last close	1D %	YTD %
S&P 500	6,858.5	0.2%	0.2%
Nasdaq 100	25,204.8	(0.2%)	(0.2%)
Russell 2000	2,508.1	1.1%	1.1%
XBI	121.5	(0.3%)	(0.3%)
Nasdaq Biotech	5,706.6	0.0%	0.0%
Clinical Trials ETF (BBC)	37.6	(2.4%)	(2.4%)

Mixed tape, but biotech underperformed: S&P 500 was up while XBI slipped.
BBC was the standout mover on the downside, dropping 2.4%.
Market data: U.S. close Jan 2, 2026.

The Big 3

1	Servier partners with Insilico Medicine on AI cancer R&D

Servier signed an oncology discovery collaboration with Insilico Medicine, tapping its AI platform to generate early cancer R&D programs. The deal is worth up to $888M in total value, including up to $32M in upfront and near-term R&D payments, with the remainder tied to downstream milestones.
Why it matters: This is a clean “platform economics” datapoint: meaningful upfront/near-term cash plus big back-end optionality. If Insilico can push assets from algorithm to clinic under a pharma partner, it strengthens the case (and valuation comps) for AI-enabled discovery shops heading into 2026.
Source: Endpoints

2	Novo Nordisk launches Wegovy pill with tiered pricing

Novo Nordisk has launched a pill form of Wegovy, offering it at $25 per month for insured patients and $149 for cash-paying patients.
Why it matters: Aggressive pricing/coverage framing can influence GLP-1 demand elasticity and competitive positioning in obesity, affecting revenue expectations.
Source: Endpoints

3	Sanofi's Tzield accepted for FDA priority review

Sanofi's Tzield has been accepted for FDA priority review for young children with stage 2 type 1 diabetes, potentially accelerating its label expansion.
Why it matters: Priority review can pull forward a key label expansion timeline, affecting near-term sales trajectory and competitive barriers in T1D.
Source: PR
More: PR

Everything Else that broke

FDA approves Vanda motion sickness pill, Agios thalassemia drug. — Fierce Pharma
FDA rejects Corcept and Outlook filings. — BioSpace
Ultragenyx bone drug fails Phase 3, company explores cuts. — BioSpace
Biohaven reports another psychiatric trial failure for BHV-7000. — BioSpace
Pfizer and peers plan 2026 U.S. drug price increases. — BioSpace
Advocates regroup after Sanders blocks pediatric PRV reauthorization. — BioCentury
argenx announces CEO/COO leadership transition. — PR
NIH leadership instability grows with neuro director exit. — Fierce Biotech
Biopharma layoffs rise 16% in 2025, company closures noted. — Fierce Biotech
10 clinical trials to watch in first half of 2026. — BioPharma Dive
Insilico sees gains after Hong Kong listing. — BioCentury
Harmeier returns to lead Roche Venture Fund. — BioCentury

Deal Flow

M&A / BD&L

Servier partners with Insilico Medicine on AI cancer R&D. — Endpoints

VC / Private Financings

Intelligent Bio Solutions closes $10M private placement. — PR

IPOs / Follow-Ons

No notable IPOs / Follow-Ons since the last edition.

Academic Corner

CRISPR–Cas3-based editing for targeted deletions in a mouse model of transthyretin amyloidosis. — Nature Biotech
AI-enabled virtual spatial proteomics from histopathology for interpretable biomarker discovery in lung cancer. — Nature Medicine
Pharmacological targeting of the JAK–STAT pathway: new concepts and emerging indications. — Nature RDD

Back to work. Back to catalysts. BioBucks Team