A new trial could make weight-loss drugs easier to tolerate — and more effective for more patients.
Many patients who start high-dose GLP-1 receptor agonists like Wegovy stop or reduce treatment because of vomiting. That side effect isn’t just uncomfortable — it undermines the drug’s purpose. Now, a new clinical trial could change that.
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margin trading A three-month extension on margin rule compliance could prevent forced sell-offs in Bangladesh’s distressed market
Compliance with Bangladesh’s new margin rules by the 30 April 2025 deadline could force brokers to liquidate vast holdings of non-marginable securities, triggering fire sales in an already fragile market. The DSE Brokers Association (DBA) has formally requested a three-month extension, moving the deadline to 31 July 2025, warning that rushed implementation risks destabilising the capital market further. As of February 2025, total negative equity across brokerages and merchant banks reached Tk10,425 crore — Tk8,005 crore in principal margin loans and Tk2,420 crore in accrued interest. A total of 146 firms, including 102 DSE brokers, 39 merchant banks, and five CSE brokers, hold loans where collateral value has fallen below outstanding balances. The Margin Rules 2025, effective 1 November 2024, require full compliance on three fronts: risk-based capital adequacy, system integration, and the adjustment of non-marginable securities in loan portfolios. But brokers say they lack the time, skilled staff, and technical capacity to meet the deadline without selling off large volumes of collateral. Thousands of existing loan accounts hold significant positions in non-marginable shares, and forced sales would depress prices, hurt retail investors, and strain liquidity. The current market is already under pressure from geopolitical shocks — including the US-Iran war — and a domestic fuel crisis. Rushed implementation could lead to operational breakdowns and temporary halts in margin services. The DBA argues that a nine-month compliance window would allow for proper risk assessment, board approvals, system upgrades, and client communication. Firms are currently required to provision against margin loans not recovered within a year. But they have only set aside Tk2,946 crore — less than 37% of the Tk8,005 crore principal — leaving a Tk5,058 crore provisioning deficit. Without an extension, brokers may be forced into disorderly liquidations, deepening negative equity and prolonging market distress.
Vanda Pharmaceuticals has launched the Thetis study, testing NEREUS™ (tradipitant) to prevent vomiting in patients beginning high-dose GLP-1 therapy. These drugs, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, have transformed treatment for type 2 diabetes and obesity. But gastrointestinal side effects remain a major barrier. Last month, the FDA approved a higher dose of Wegovy for greater weight loss — even as it acknowledged increased rates of nausea and vomiting.
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A prior Phase 2 trial found that only 29.3% of patients taking tradipitant experienced vomiting, compared to 58.6% on placebo — a 50% relative reduction. The chance of both vomiting and significant nausea dropped from 48.3% on placebo to 22.4% with tradipitant.
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The Thetis trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Its primary goal is to measure how many patients remain free from vomiting while on tradipitant during early GLP-1 treatment.
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If the results hold, more patients could stay on their full dose. That means better outcomes — not just weight loss or glucose control, but fewer disruptions in treatment.
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Vanda expects topline data by Q4 2026. Approval for this use would require additional study data, but the mechanism is clear: reduce the side effect, and more patients get the benefit.
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retirement planning Harrison Ford's Social Security benefit exceeds the national average by $2,569 per month
Harrison Ford's estimated monthly Social Security benefit of $4,640 exceeds the average retirement benefit of $2,071 by $2,569 per month. The Social Security Administration calculates benefits based on the top 35 earning years of a worker's early career. This limit makes Ford's income history prior to 1977 immaterial to his calculation. The benefit is calculated by applying cost-of-living adjustments to the maximum benefit achievable in 2012, which was $3,266. This estimation assumes Ford began receiving benefits at age 70 in 20}2,
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