Disney Merger, World's Oldest Person Dies, and a Moon Flyby

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Lilly Drug Cuts Diabetes Risk

Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly's weight loss drug tirzepatide was found to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 94% among people with excess weight, according to a study released yesterday. 

The three-year study is the longest completed study of the drug and involved observing the effects of the weekly injectable in more than 1,000 patients with prediabetes who were obese or overweight. The study showed those who took the highest weekly dose at 15 mg saw a nearly 23% reduction in body weight on average and a 94% reduced risk of developing diabetes compared with prediabetics who took a placebo and lost 2% of their body weight on average. See a diabetes overview here.

Tirzepatide is the active ingredient in Eli Lilly's weight loss drug Zepbound and its diabetes version Mounjaro—both of which have gained popularity due to their aid in weight loss. Eli Lilly is the world's most valuable pharmaceutical drugmaker with a $900B market cap and has seen its shares rise over 60% this year. 

Disney-Reliance Deal Scrutiny

India's antitrust commission cast doubt on a proposed $8.5B merger between Disney's India operations and Indian giant Reliance, arguing the deal's current terms are anticompetitive. The Competition Commission of India sent private notices to the companies requesting further concessions within 30 days to keep the deal afloat.

The proposed deal would give the joint venture broadcast rights for top leagues in cricket, the country's most popular sport. Roughly 100 million people tune in for matches in the renowned Indian Premier League with a total fanbase of over 750 million (more than double the US population). The new entity would control 40% of all TV advertising market share in India, with over 120 channels and two streaming services. 

Reliance is India's largest public company by market capitalization and is owned by the billionaire Ambani family (see family tree). Disney CEO Bob Iger claimed the move would de-risk Disney's operations in India amid growing competition. 

World's Oldest Person Dies 

Maria Branyas Morera, the world's oldest known person, has died at the age of 117, her family announced yesterday. Born on March 4, 1907, in San Francisco, she moved to Catalonia, Spain, at age 8. Morera witnessed major historical events, including two world wars and the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, and she became the oldest known survivor of COVID-19 at age 113. She was active on social media as "Super Àvia Catalana" (or Super Catalan Grandma), amassing nearly 19,000 followers.

There are approximately 722,000 centenarians—those aged 100 and older—globally, with 108,000 in the US. Supercentenarians—those aged 110 and older—are rare, with about 250-300 worldwide and roughly 60-70 known in the US. Morera credited her longevity to enjoying nature, good company, avoiding toxic people, luck, and genetics.

Some studies suggest the maximum human lifespan could be between 120 and 150 years. The oldest verified person to have ever lived died in 1997 at 122. The current oldest living person is now 116-year-old Tomiko Itooka from Japan.

In partnership with Miso Robotics

One Giant Leap for AI

In partnership with Miso Robotics

Leaving Automation Competitors Behind

Miso earned the title of first-mover in kitchen AI and automation in 2016. But with their most advanced robot yet rolling off assembly lines this month—and with an Nvidia AI vision tech collaboration—that advantage may just multiply.

This monumental step from the prototype to commercial phase is the moment Miso’s 36,000 investors have been waiting for. You can still join them as a Miso shareholder for a limited time.*

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