A new IMS survey shows that payors are now virtually the most important determinant of marketplace success -- far more important, in most markets, including the US, than sales representatives, who are less influential than they have ever been. Moreover, marketers who can't create a strong market penetration within six months of launch, will almost certainly fail - no matter what they do - to be able to improve the sales curve.

Israel's Obecure is investigating the potential of a marketed compound, betahistine, in obesity. It's hoping this repositioning approach will both accelerate timelines and help it overcome growing drug safety hurdles.

Early intervention is the general rule for success in treating many diseases, but in obesity, patients have to be in bad shape before they're eligible for the most efficacious treatments, which are surgical interventions. Companies with minimally invasive--and anatomy sparing--devices hope to change that paradigm.