Empagliflozin

Boehringer's Hernexeos faces long road to EuropeChai extends pharma deal streak with argenxKeytruda may offer chemo-free option in endometrial cancerNovo cracks open Europe's oral GLP-1 market Boehringer's Hernexeos faces long road to EuropeBoehringer Ingelheim said its newly launched lung cancer drug Hernexeos (zongertinib) is not expected to reach patients in Europe until 2028.The oral therapy for HER2-mutant advanced non–small-cell lung cancer has already launched in the US — where it obtained a full approval by the FDA earlier this year after an accelerated approval last August — as well as in China and Japan, but the company said it will wait for Phase III data before seeking a European launch.The delayed European rollout was disclosed during Boehringer's first-half results presentation, where it reported a 16.2% currency-adjusted increase in sales to €15.8 billion, driven by diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease medicine Jardiance (empagliflozin). The drug generated €5.7 billion, benefiting from a "large and growing patient base" and higher volumes following changes to the US pricing and reimbursement environment.Boehringer also highlighted strong early demand for Jascayd (nerandomilast), its treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and progressive pulmonary fibrosis, which has been approved in the US, China, Japan and several other markets while awaiting an EU decision. The company said recent launches, together with Jardiance, helped lift Human Pharma sales 20.1% to €13.1 billion in the first half.Chai extends pharma deal streak with argenxOn the heels of a $400-million series C that more than doubled its valuation, Chai Discovery has again added to its list of pharma collaborators by striking an AI-driven antibody discovery pact with argenx.Under the deal, argenx gains early access to Chai's molecular design platform to support de novo antibody discovery against therapeutic targets, adding another major partner alongside recent collaborations with Novartis, Pfizer and Eli Lilly.The partnership combines argenx's antibody engineering and immunology expertise with Chai's generative AI models, which are designed to predict and reprogramme molecular interactions to create biomolecules with specific functional properties.Keytruda may offer chemo-free option in endometrial cancerMerck & Co. said Keytruda (pembrolizumab) significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) over standard platinum-doublet chemotherapy in a Phase III trial of patients with mismatch repair deficient advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer who had not previously received systemic chemotherapy or who experienced recurrence more than six months after completing prior adjuvant therapy. Findings from the KEYNOTE-C93 study could pave the way for a potential chemo-free treatment option in the frontline setting, indicated Brian Slomovitz, the trial's overall principal investigator. According to Merck, KEYNOTE-C93 is also the first Phase III trial to show a PD-1 inhibitor used alone can outperform platinum doublet chemotherapy in this patient population.At an interim analysis, the study met its PFS endpoint, while showing a "trend toward improvement" on the other main goal of overall survival, though those data are still immature. Keytruda also demonstrated clinically meaningful overall and complete response rates, along with durable responses, Merck said. Results from the ongoing trial are set to be presented at an upcoming medical meeting and submitted to regulators.Novo cracks open Europe's oral GLP-1 marketNovo Nordisk has added two more arrows to its obesity-treatment quiver after obtaining approval from the European Commission for its Wegovy pill, making it the EU's first oral GLP-1 therapy for chronic weight management, alongside a higher-dose 7.2-mg Wegovy injection in a single ready-to-use pen.The Wegovy pill, which was granted a positive opinion from the EU's drug advisory body in May, was ​approved based on study data showing that people who took it lost an average 17% of their body weight after 64 weeks on treatment, ‌compared ⁠with about 3% with placebo. Meanwhile, Novo said the new 7.2-mg injector has demonstrated average weight loss of 21% in clinical studies.The oral product has now secured approvals in five markets, following earlier green lights in the US, UK, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Wednesday's nod gives the Wegovy pill a headstart in the EU market over Eli Lilly's competing product Foundayo (orforglipron), which has yet to clear ​regulators there.

Strong U.S. demand and new product launches drive first-half sales in Human Pharma Net sales reach EUR 15.8 billion, led by JARDIANCE® and successful U.S. launches Positive Phase III data for survodutide and pipeline progress strengthen long-term outlook Boehringer Ingelheim reported continued sales growth in the first half of 2026, driven by strong growth in the U.S. due to increased demand for JARDIANCE® (empagliflozin) and successful new launches. Group net sales increased by 16.2%* to EUR 15.8 billion, with Human Pharma contributing EUR 13.1 billion and Animal Health EUR 2.6 billion. Shashank Deshpande, Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors and Head of Human Pharma, Boehringer Ingelheim said: “The strong uptake of our new products JASCAYD® and HERNEXEOS® show the value of the scientific innovation behind these medicines for patients, bringing real progress in areas with significant unmet medical need. In an era of accelerated medical discovery, where the boundaries of what is possible are continuously expanding, innovation-friendly environments such as the United States play a critical role in ensuring new therapies reach patients more rapidly.” Frank Hübler, Member of the Board of Managing Directors responsible for Finance, added: “Our business results show that, in Human Pharma and Animal Health, we successfully navigated a challenging macroeconomic environment and political uncertainties. We remain focused on delivering innovative medicines to patients and animals worldwide. Looking ahead, we need to direct our long-term investments to where they are closest to our growth markets and where they can create the best possible impact for patients. This also includes engaging with governments around the globe to create an environment that appropriately recognizes the value of innovative medicines and ensures patient access.” Human Pharma: Growth supported by key launches Human Pharma sales grew 20.1%* to EUR 13.1 billion, supported by the new product launches. Established products such as JARDIANCE® for the treatment of chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and heart failure remained major growth drivers, contributing EUR 5.7 billion in net sales in the first half of the year. The positive development of JARDIANCE® was supported by a large and growing patient base, as well as changes in the U.S. pricing and reimbursement environment, which drove significant volume growth. This trend is in line with Boehringer’s commitment to ensuring continued patient access and affordability. Without the JARDIANCE® volume effect, the growth of the Human Pharma Business Unit in the first six months would have been in line with the overall pharma market. The company also saw a successful uptake of its most recent product launches, JASCAYD® (nerandomilast) and HERNEXEOS® (zongertinib), particularly in the U.S., as both medicines were able to gain significant traction thanks to the innovation-friendly climate in the U.S. but also in China and Japan. Streamlined processes as well as stronger incentives for innovation in these geographies paved the way for swiftly making these breakthrough medicines available to patients. JASCAYD®, for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF), saw a strong uptake reflecting the urgent need for new treatment options in a disease area that has seen limited therapeutic progress for many years. Following approvals in the United States, China and Japan, as well as Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and Brazil, JASCAYD® is awaiting EU approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA). HERNEXEOS®, an oral treatment for HER2-mutant advanced non-small cell lung cancer, marked the company’s successful re-entry into oncology after ten years with launches in the U.S., China and Japan. The company expects that HERNEXEOS® will be available for European patients only from 2028 after Phase III data becomes available. Boehringer continued to advance its late-stage pipeline programs during the first half of 2026, realizing significant progress in oncology and cardio-renal-metabolic diseases. Positive Phase III data for survodutide demonstrated the medicine’s potential to address metabolic and liver health in addition to overweight and obesity. Progress with a next-generation triple agonist underlines Boehringer’s ambition to build a broad obesity and metabolic health portfolio. At the same time, Boehringer Ingelheim initiated three Phase III oncology trials, reinforcing its goal to expand precision cancer care. The company also advanced key assets such as obrixtamig, an experimental cancer immunotherapy, and apecotrep, an investigational drug targeting kidney disease. Research momentum also continued to be strong, with five new compounds entering clinical trials. The Boehringer Human Pharma R&D pipeline spans around 80 projects. Animal Health: Focus on new launches and emerging disease outbreaks response The Animal Health business reported net sales of EUR 2.6 billion in the first six months of 2026, a 0.4%* increase compared to the previous year. The performance reflected a modestly growing animal health market, with increased consumer price sensitivity and fewer veterinary visits in several countries. The company continues to execute its 2026 launch plan, including LENZELTA®, a new vaccine that advances mastitis prevention in dairy cows and has launched in several EU countries, and Eko Vet+™ | CANINEBEAT® AI, an AI-based solution that helps detect heart murmurs in dogs and has already launched in the U.S., the UK and Germany. Boehringer Ingelheim also continues to support responses to emerging animal disease outbreaks, including New World screwworm in the U.S., after receiving Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) earlier this year from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The company continues to progress its R&D pipeline in Animal Health, with strong candidates across infectious and non-infectious diseases as well as parasiticides, building a solid innovation foundation for the future in pets, equine, and livestock animals. Outlook Looking ahead, Boehringer expects that uptake of recent launches, upcoming pipeline milestones, and ongoing investments in innovation will support performance for the remainder of the year and beyond. At the same time, the company will remain focused on navigating a dynamic external environment while maintaining a balanced and disciplined approach to growth. Boehringer Ingelheim Boehringer Ingelheim is a biopharmaceutical company active in both human and animal health. As one of the industry’s top investors in research and development, the company focuses on developing innovative therapies that can improve and extend lives in areas of high unmet medical need. Independent since its foundation in 1885, Boehringer takes a long-term perspective, embedding sustainability along the entire value chain. Our approximately 54,300 employees serve over 130 markets to build a healthier and more sustainable tomorrow. Learn more at .