Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Elaine Chen

@elaineywchen.bsky.social

2.6K followers 130 following 51 posts

Reporter @statnews.com covering drugs and the biopharma industry | signal: elaineywchen.70

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted by Elaine Chen

Jonathan Wosen @jonathanwosen.bsky.social · Aug 20

I'm a science journalist for @statnews.com looking to talk with folks who applied to biomedical Ph.D. programs and had offers rescinded earlier this year. What have you been up to since then? You can reach me at [email protected] or via Signal (username jwosen.27). #journorequest

Elaine Chen @elaineywchen.bsky.social · Jul 22

Latest: A race to develop a new class of narcolepsy drugs could not only transform treatment for patients with the rare sleep disorder, but also many people with common health conditions like Alzheimer's and depression who struggle to stay awake

Drugmakers are racing to help patients stay awake — and could also make billions

A race to develop a new class of drugs could transform treatment for patients with narcolepsy — as well as for patients with other conditions that cause them to struggle to stay awake.

www.statnews.com

Reposted by Elaine Chen

Jason Ukman @jasonukman.bsky.social · Jun 25

Novo Nordisk, seen as lagging in obesity drug race, says it’s playing the long game. Via @elaineywchen.bsky.social
www.statnews.com/2025/06/25/n...

Novo Nordisk, seen as lagging in obesity drug race, says it’s playing the long game

Novo Nordisk is seen as having fallen behind in the race for new obesity drugs. It argues it is playing the long game.

www.statnews.com

Elaine Chen @elaineywchen.bsky.social · Jun 22

From #ADA25: Full results suggest Novo's CagriSema is comparable to Lilly’s Zepbound on safety and efficacy

Weight loss looks to be plateauing at the end of late-stage studies, raising Qs around how much more weight patients can lose on the drug

Novo Nordisk’s amylin obesity drug keeps performing like Zepbound

Novo Nordisk’s next-gen weight loss drug and Zepbound “seem fairly equal to me,” one expert says after release of new late-stage results for CagriSema.

www.statnews.com

Elaine Chen @elaineywchen.bsky.social · Jun 20

Latest from #ADA25: Novo's injectable amycretin showed substantial weight loss in an early study, but similar efficacy across different doses and high rates of side effects raise questions about which dose Novo will pursue going forward

Full data on Novo Nordisk’s new amylin drug raise dosing questions

Results for weight-loss drug targeting amylin find similar efficacy across different doses and high rates of side effects, raising questions about which dose Novo will pursue.

www.statnews.com

Reposted by Elaine Chen

Alex Hogan @alexhogan.bsky.social · Jun 10

New video- my new @statnews.com colleague @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social and I chat about RFK Jr.'s dismissal of all the members of ACIP, CDC's vaccine advisory board. Also I'm going to be doing a video every week now so please wish me luck (and like & subscribe plz) youtu.be/brVDswDpaeQ

Did RFK Jr. break a promise he made to GOP Senator?

YouTube video by STAT

Elaine Chen @elaineywchen.bsky.social · Jun 5

Novo also invested much less in R&D than competitor Eli Lilly

It tended to advance one candidate at a time, rather than simultaneously advance multiple candidates at once to see what stuck, one former employee said
www.statnews.com/2025/06/05/n...

Elaine Chen @elaineywchen.bsky.social · Jun 5

LATEST: A conservative culture cost Novo Nordisk its lead in the obesity drug race, former employees told me

It wanted to tread carefully as the first mover in the space, and its belief in Ozempic/Wegovy blinded it to other candidates, they said

A cautious culture cost Novo Nordisk its lead in the obesity drug race, former employees say

Novo Nordisk’s stock has tumbled over 50% since its peak around a year ago, and it just ousted its CEO. Former employees say the company's cautious culture is to blame.

www.statnews.com

Reposted by Elaine Chen

Isabella Cueto @isabellacueto.bsky.social · May 21

Yesterday, we dove into all the data on chronic disease in the U.S. So, what can actually make a dent in it?

Here are 3 big ideas: www.statnews.com/2025/05/21/r...

Three big ideas to actually ‘Make America Healthy Again’

STAT reviewed dozens of studies, interviewed chronic disease experts, and landed on three focus areas for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to boost health.

www.statnews.com

Reposted by Elaine Chen

Isabella Cueto @isabellacueto.bsky.social · May 20

NEW: How RFK Jr. goes about solving the chronic disease epidemic depends on his top concerns. Here, we break down the nation's health into 9 "priorities" — using original data analysis you can't find elsewhere! — and let you choose yours. W/ @jaspar.bsky.social:

www.statnews.com/2025/05/20/k...

RFK Jr. declared war on chronic disease. First comes the battle over priorities

How would you solve the chronic disease epidemic? Here's STAT's extensive new data analysis, and nine ways to tackle the problem.

www.statnews.com

Elaine Chen @elaineywchen.bsky.social · Apr 29

The explosion of compounded GLP-1 offerings is ending, and many patients are left with no good options.

Telehealth companies and compounders are pursuing workarounds that may be riskier. At the same time, patients still can't afford the branded drugs. w/ @katiepalmer.bsky.social

The end of compounded GLP-1 copies leaves many patients in a ‘lose-lose’ position

With GLP-1 shortage officially over, patients who relied on compounded copies have only bad options to choose from

www.statnews.com

Reposted by Elaine Chen

Megan Molteni @mmolteni.bsky.social · Apr 16

WaPo has the numbers on those NIH advisory board purges @jasonmast.bsky.social and I first reported on last month.

Six percent of White males who serve on boards were fired, compared with half of Black and Hispanic females and one-quarter of all females, according to an analysis by board chairs.

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · Apr 16

Thirty-eight of 43 experts cut last month from the boards that review the science and research that happens in laboratories at the National Institutes of Health are female, Black or Hispanic, according to an analysis by the chairs of a dozen of the boards.

Women, minorities fired in purge of NIH science review boards

Scientists, with expertise in fields that include mental health, cancer and infectious disease, typically serve five-year terms and were not given a reason for their dismissal.

www.washingtonpost.com

Reposted by Elaine Chen

Alex Hogan @alexhogan.bsky.social · Apr 3

What do the Trump administrations tariffs mean for the pharmaceutical industry? New short vid @statnews.com h/t to my STAT colleagues @elaineywchen.bsky.social and Ed Silverman

Elaine Chen @elaineywchen.bsky.social · Apr 1

RFK Jr. vowed to promote “radical transparency” at HHS. But today the dpt made major cuts to teams across its agencies that handle communications, media relations, and FOIA requests - w/ @lizzylawrence.bsky.social, @isabellacueto.bsky.social

After RFK Jr.’s ‘radical transparency’ pledge, HHS shutters much of its communications, FOIA operations

After health secretary RFK Jr.’s ‘radical transparency’ pledge, HHS has shuttered much of the agency's communications and FOIA operations.

www.statnews.com

Reposted by Elaine Chen

Isabella Cueto @isabellacueto.bsky.social · Mar 27

HHS workers affected by today's announcement/ RIF: Tell us what's going on! You can do so confidentially/anonymously through this form. I'm also at isabellacueto.03 on Signal, or send a DM.

www.statnews.com/2025/03/27/h...

Are you affected by the HHS cuts and restructuring?

HHS is set to cut 10,000 jobs and consolidate divisions — have you been affected? @statnews would like to hear from you.

www.statnews.com

Reposted by Elaine Chen

Jason Ukman @jasonukman.bsky.social · Mar 17

New: The NIH has canceled funding for a landmark diabetes study — at a time when RFK Jr. and the rest of the MAHA movement is focused on addressing chronic diseases, including diabetes.

Smart story from @elaineywchen.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/03/17/t...

NIH cancels funding for landmark diabetes study at a time of focus on chronic disease

The Trump administration has canceled funding for an ongoing 30-year, nationwide study tracking patients with prediabetes and diabetes, researchers said.

www.statnews.com

Reposted by Elaine Chen

Lizzy Lawrence @lizzylawrence.bsky.social · Mar 13

Weldon out as CDC nominee, hours before he was set to appear in front of the Senate:
www.statnews.com/2025/03/13/t...

White House pulls nomination of Dave Weldon as CDC director hours before hearing

The White House has pulled the nomination of Dave Weldon as CDC director hours before heh was set to appear for his confirmation hearing.

www.statnews.com

Reposted by Elaine Chen

Bob Herman @bobjherman.bsky.social · Mar 12

Eli Lilly's obesity and diabetes drugs are paying off for top executives. CEO Dave Ricks took home $114 million last year, and he and other leaders also were treated to a "leadership meeting" at last summer’s Olympics in Paris. More w/ @elaineywchen.bsky.social: www.statnews.com/2025/03/11/e...

Eli Lilly’s Dave Ricks takes home $114 million as obesity drugs fuel company’s fortunes

Eli Lilly’s rising fortunes tied to its weight loss and diabetes drugs led to a nine-figure payday for its top executive.

www.statnews.com

Reposted by Elaine Chen

Isabella Cueto @isabellacueto.bsky.social · Feb 28

Breaking: RFK Jr. moves to quietly eliminate public comment from HHS's decision making: www.statnews.com/2025/02/28/r...

RFK Jr. moves to eliminate public comment in HHS decisions

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. moved to rescind the longtime practice of giving the public a chance to comment on the health agency’s plans.

www.statnews.com

Elaine Chen @elaineywchen.bsky.social · Feb 28

Pfizer also replaced language saying that it partners with groups that “are dedicated to championing historically underrepresented populations” and deleted a list of its partners
www.statnews.com/2025/02/27/p...

Elaine Chen @elaineywchen.bsky.social · Feb 28

Pfizer yesterday revised its DEI webpage to emphasize the importance of "merit," joining other companies seeking to align with the Trump administration

@jaspar.bsky.social and I laid out all the deletions and insertions in our story
www.statnews.com/2025/02/27/p...

Elaine Chen @elaineywchen.bsky.social · Feb 20

I echo what Emory has said and if you want to learn about promotions we have for our subscriptions or questions on how to get institutional access or on the story itself, feel free to DM

Reposted by Elaine Chen

J. Emory Parker 🏳️‍🌈 @jaspar.bsky.social · Feb 20

Incredible: we're reaching a point where new weight loss drugs might be *too* effective, leading to health risks. from @elaineywchen.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/02/20/t...

Chart showing the percent of body weight loss has increased substantially from about 5-10% in early drugs, up to 20-24% in the latest GLP drugs.

Elaine Chen @elaineywchen.bsky.social · Feb 20

New obesity treatments have been transformational, but the fixation on more weight loss may not be in patients' best interests, doctors say.

Rapid and extreme weight loss may lead to too much muscle loss, a weakened immune system, and other risks
www.statnews.com/2025/02/20/t...

How much weight loss is too much? Pharma is pushing the limit with new obesity drugs

How much weight loss is too much? Pharma is pushing the limit with new obesity drugs.

www.statnews.com

Elaine Chen @elaineywchen.bsky.social · Feb 20

NEW: Patients in trials of Lilly's next-gen obesity drug tell me they think they're losing too much weight. One started skipping doses, another is making himself eat caloric foods.

This is part of what some see as a risky race for more weight loss
www.statnews.com/2025/02/20/t...

How much weight loss is too much? Pharma is pushing the limit with new obesity drugs

How much weight loss is too much? Pharma is pushing the limit with new obesity drugs.

www.statnews.com