Epic Dominates, Compounding’s Demise, & Wegovy Can’t Escape 2nd Place

Hey all,

Happy Thursday! Epic's growing empire proves that terrible UX is actually a feature, not a bug. Nothing says 'enterprise software dominance' quite like Stockholm Syndrome with a side of impossible-to-escape contracts. Still dreaming someone might build an EHR humans can actually use without therapy. Enjoy the rundown!

Jacob Brody (Co-Founder & CEO, ZorroRX)

(Modern Healthcare) Epic widens EHR market share lead

Epic expanded its dominance in the electronic health record (EHR) market in 2024, growing to cover 42% of acute care hospitals and 55% of acute care beds, according to KLAS. This shift highlights accelerating consolidation among health systems and signals Epic's strengthening hold as competitors like Oracle Health and Meditech continue losing market share, while Epic’s new push into enterprise resource planning software further challenges rivals. Meanwhile, doctors using Epic reportedly average 4,000 clicks per minute — coincidentally about as often as they question their decision to go into medicine. Full Article

(STAT) End of Compounded GLP-1 Copies Leaves Patients Stranded

The regulatory crackdown on compounded versions of GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide is leaving many patients without affordable treatment options. As compounding pharmacies and telehealth companies are forced to halt production of cheaper copies, patients are now grappling with either unaffordable brand-name drugs or risky, potentially illegal alternatives — a situation exacerbated by unclear FDA enforcement, complex insurance barriers, and high pharmaceutical prices. At this point, some patients might find it cheaper to just fly to India, stock up on a year’s worth of $50 Mounjaro, and still come out ahead. Full Article

(Wall Street Journal) Why New Wegovy Deals Won't Restore Novo Nordisk's Obesity Lead

Novo Nordisk announced partnerships with telehealth providers to expand Wegovy access, but prescription data shows demand has been flat while rival Eli Lilly's Zepbound continues to gain market share. The diverging fortunes are reflected in stock performance: Lilly shares are up 15% this year while Novo Nordisk's are down 24%. Beyond injectables, Novo Nordisk lacks a clear answer to Lilly's promising oral GLP-1 pipeline, including the experimental once-daily pill orforglipron which could launch as early as 2026. Despite these market dynamics, Novo hasn’t been exploring its amylin analog cagrilintide as standalone treatment. As it loses its lead amongst GLP-1s, Novo has overlooked cagrilintide's unique properties as an amylin analog—preserving muscle mass while enhancing metabolic function—which position it as a potentially superior candidate for long-term weight maintenance rather than just initial weight loss therapy. Full Article