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Eli Lilly has rolled out Foundayo, its oral GLP-1 pill, directly to consumers through its LillyDirect cash-pay channel, as well as to telehealth providers and pharmacies across the U.S. The drug is a once-daily oral obesity treatment. It is to be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased exercise, the pharma company said in an announcement. (Gleeson, 4/9)

A flood of cheap copies of Novo Nordisk A/S’ blockbuster weight-loss drug in India is already reshaping the country’s fast-growing obesity medicine market, showing how quickly the patent cliff will affect GLP-1 makers like Eli Lilly & Co. Within days of dozens of generics hitting the Indian market after Novo’s patent expired locally, semaglutide’s share in the country’s GLP-1 segment jumped to 33% in March from 25% a month earlier, according to researcher Pharmarack. That gain came at the expense of tirzepatide — the active ingredient in Lilly’s Mounjaro, which is still under patent protection in India — whose share fell to 64% from 71%, Pharmarack said. (Sanjay, 4/9)

Japanese drugmaker Shionogi announced yesterday that its US subsidiary has received a $119 million contract from the US government to bolster the nation’s ability to respond to drug-resistant infections and national health security threats. The contract, awarded through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), seeks to establish a US manufacturing site for the antibiotic cefiderocol and support procurement of the drug. It will also help fund development of cefiderocol to respond to high-priority bacterial biothreats. The contract has multiyear options that could bring the total up to $482 million. (Dall, 4/9)

The Food and Drug Administration has sent a warning letter to Medline Industries over reported issues with syringes used in cardiac procedures and the company could face regulatory action if the issues are not corrected. The company received the letter March 25 following a December inspection of its facility in Glen Falls, New York. The agency said the Namic angiographic control syringes, which are packaged into Medline’s cardiovascular procedure kits, were disconnecting from the hub that controls the flow of fluids. The letter was made public Tuesday. (Dubinsky, 4/9)

Intuitive Surgical dominates the soft tissue robotic surgery market, but smaller players are beginning to gain ground, looking to capitalize on the quick expansion of ambulatory surgery centers. The field has seen a surge of new entrants, ranging from companies cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for either multiple procedures or a single one to those awaiting the agency’s review. (Dubinsky, 4/9)

Abbott Laboratories said it faces a jury award of at least $53 million over claims by four mothers that the company hid risks its premature-infant formula can cause a bowel disease which creates serious health issues for frail babies. Jurors in state court in Chicago on Thursday found Abbott knew premature babies could develop necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC, by ingesting the company’s cow-milk-based formula, but continued to market the product to hospital intensive-care units. After awarding the mothers compensation for their losses, the jury will convene Friday to determine whether to impose punitive damages on Abbott. (Feeley, 4/10)