Lilly's GLP-1 pill beats older Novo diabetes drug in head-to-head trial
Patients on Eli Lilly & Co.'s experimental diabetes pill lost more weight and had better blood sugar control than those on an older, approved rival from Novo Nordisk A/S in the first head-to-head trial of the two medicines. The highest dose of Lilly's pill, called orforglipron, led to a 1.9 percent drop in blood sugar levels and shaved roughly 18 pounds from patients' frames, significantly more than those getting Novo's Rybelsus. The initial findings from the Lilly-funded study came as the Indianapolis-based drugmaker released full data about orforglipron's impact on obesity at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting. The results will help Lilly take the lead in the emerging market for an oral form of the GLP-1 drugs that have surged to blockbuster status in recent years, analysts said. Orforglipron, plus a more potent, experimental version of Novo's GLP-1 pill, is expected to help drive future demand for a class of medicines that's become so popular that companies have struggled to maintain enough supply. -- BLOOMBERG NEWS
TECH
Alphabet Inc.'s Google plans to start working with StopNCII, a nonprofit that helps prevent the spread of nonconsensual images online. For advocates, the move marks a significant, albeit overdue, step in the search giant's efforts against image-based abuse. StopNCII's technology allows victims of image-based abuse to create digital fingerprints, or hashes, of intimate images. These hashes are then shared with partner platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and OnlyFans, which use them to prevent reupload of the images without requiring anybody to look at or report them. Google announced the partnership at the NCII summit on Wednesday at Google's London office, where they were hosting StopNCII's parent charity, SWGfL. For victims, "knowing that their content doesn't appear in search -- I can't begin to articulate the impact that this has on individuals," said David Wright, SWGfL's chief executive, in an interview. Google will not immediately appear on StopNCII's official partner list. A Google spokesperson said the company is currently testing the technology and expects to begin using the hashes "over the next few months." Adopting the hash matching technology would be a significant change that would require evolving the company's processes and infrastructure over time, they added. -- BLOOMBERG NEWS
LABOR
Amazon says it's investing more than $1 billion to raise wages and lower the cost of health care plans for its US fulfillment and transportation workers. The Seattle-based company said Wednesday the average pay is increasing to more than $23 per hour. Some of its most tenured employees will see an increase between $1.10 and $1.90 per hour. Full-time employees, on average, will see their pay increase by $1,600 per year. Amazon also said it will lower the cost of its entry health care plan to $5 per week and $5 for co-pays, starting next year. Amazon said that will reduce weekly contributions by 34 percent and co-pays by 87 percent for primary care, mental health, and most nonspecialist visits for employees using the basic plan. Amazon has a global workforce of 1.5 million workers. -- ASSOCIATED PRESS
WORKPLACE
Gap Inc.'s chief executive addressed employees on Monday about the assassination of political commentator Charlie Kirk, calling for "open dialogue." In a copy of the memo obtained by Bloomberg News, Richard Dickson encouraged employees to "share opinions in constructive, not divisive ways." "We have always stood for bridging gaps," he wrote an email. "It's in our name. It's in our DNA." The company declined to comment on Dickson's note. Dickson publicly posted a similar message on LinkedIn. Dickson's memo comes as companies and universities have fired employees for cheering Kirk's killing on social media. Members of the administration have also called for action against people who have celebrated Kirk's death. -- BLOOMBERG NEWS
RIDE-HAILING
Lyft Inc. is testing a feature that will tell drivers how often a rider tips and how punctual they are, providing additional information drivers can use when deciding which trips are worth their time. Lyft drivers typically decide whether to accept a passenger based on information such as what the trip pays, the time and distance to the pick-up and drop-off points, and the rider's rating. The company is now also showing "rider tipped on X percent of rides" and "rider is usually ready at pickup," according to a screenshot shared by a Boston-based driver on X. Lyft is testing the feature with a "limited number" of drivers, a spokesperson said in response to a Bloomberg News inquiry, and said the company will gather data and community feedback before deciding on a broader roll-out. -- BLOOMBERG NEWS
REGULATION