And so, another working week will soon draw to a close — at least on this side of the pond where we have a holiday tomorrow. This means we are staring down a longer-than-usual agenda to fill. So far, we plan to manicure the Pharmalot campus and promenade extensively with the official mascots, and we hope to hold still another listening party, where the rotation will likely include this, this, this, this and this. And what about you? The great outdoors, as always, is beckoning, which could mean a jaunt to the beach or perhaps a hike in the woods. Or maybe a stroll along city streets with an iced drink in hand. If the weather fails to cooperate, the great indoors also provides comfort — you can cook a favorite meal, curl up with an e-book, or binge-watch the telly. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe, enjoy, and see you soon. And if dad is still around, remember to say hello. …

Johnson & Johnson has no plans to enter the booming obesity market, opting instead to focus on diseases such as cancer, Bloomberg News writes. This sets J&J apart from many of its rivals trying to develop or acquire obesity medicines following blockbuster weight loss drugs from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. J&J chief executive officer Joaquin Duato said the company aims to become the world’s leading cancer company, with oncology as one of its core growth pillars. Last year, J&J paid $3.05 billion in cash for Halda Therapeutics, gaining access to an innovative new type of oral therapy for prostate cancer. His remarks come as J&J continues to reshape itself following the spin off of its Kenvue consumer health business.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved GSK’s oral antibiotic to treat complicated urinary tract ​infections, giving patients a new treatment option ‌against drug-resistant infections, Pharmaphorum notes. While the pill, called Utebzi, does not offer a novel mechanism of action, it provides an alternative to the current intravenously administered carbapenems, which are often used as a last resort for infections resistant to other antibiotics. GSK acquired rights to Utebzi in a $591 million licensing deal in 2022 with Spero Therapeutics, just a few months after the FDA rejected Spero’s first marketing application for the antibiotic with a request for an additional clinical trial.

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