Latest news with #Custer
Tom's Guide
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Netflix is losing yet another great show, so binge it while you can
How do you adapt a beloved comic series featuring God, Jesus, a centuries-old vampire and an alcoholic preacher into one of the most watchable series in the past 10 years? Ask Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the writing team behind "Preacher," an AMC original series based on the comic book by Garth Ennis, which is sadly leaving Netflix on August 19. Super-sprint, don't just run, to take in this violent, hilarious and unique four-season series filled with loveable protagonists, engaging villains and cliffhangers you'll want to binge through ASAP. 'Preacher,' which ran from 2016 to 2019, follows Texas preacher Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper) after he gets possessed by Genesis, a powerful, half-angel, half-demon offspring of an illicit union in Heaven. This force gives Custer the ability to make people do anything he says, even when he doesn't mean it literally (What do you think happens when he tells someone to 'Go to hell'?). Joined by his vampire buddy Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun) and ex-girlfriend Tulip (Ruth Negga), Custer seeks to literally find God, who has abandoned Heaven, and hold Him accountable and give the preacher some answers to burning questions he has about religion, this new force and his role in it all. Along the way, Custer and his gang are tracked down by a slew of villains, from the demonic gunslinger known as the Saint of Killers to a secret cult organization dedicated to protecting the bloodline of Jesus Christ. Their leader, the cynical and disfigured Herr Starr (Pip Torrens). contends Custer is an ideal role for the messiah and dedicates his life to 'breaking' the preacher and molding him to his will. If all this sounds a bit confusing, it can be, but the showrunners ensure each season is tightly focused on one main mission, such as the first season's battle between Custer and two angels sent to retrieve this unique force, known as Genesis, from Custer's spirit. You wouldn't think this kind of show would have gut-busting, hilarious moments, but almost every episode gives us some laughs, largely thanks to the sardonic wit of the vampire, Cassidy. He loves a bar fight and any bottle of booze, leading to raucous violence that often ends with Cassidy getting 'killed,' but he survives, of course. He engages in the kind of reckless behaviour that would leave any normal man six feet under, but Cassidy's immortality allows viewers to witness an impressive buffet of savage fights that are more slapstick than harrowing. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Ruth Negga does an impressive job of bringing romance and sarcasm to her Tulip character, offering us a light-hearted look at her past relationship with Custer when they both were committing petty crimes before Genesis invaded the preacher's body. Negga's face-acting is especially evocative, as an arched eyebrow often says volumes. Cooper flew under my radar as an actor to watch in the 2010s, but he carries the show on his disillusioned shoulders when we learn more about his backstory in Texas, and the pain he endured at the hands of a cruel grandmother and her henchmen. The British actor crafts a Texan accent that could've been born in the backwoods of Harris County. Also, the way he allows Genesis to take over his, well, everything is uncanny and compelling, so much so that I practically wished for every scene to include more of these moments. And where has Torrens been all my life? His take on the evil but dry-witted Herr Starr has turned me into a lifelong fan, and his scenes are so rewatchable, it's hard not to relive his most memorable scenes with his underlings or during his pursuit of Custer and company. If there's any criticism of 'Preacher,' it's how the second season drags in both pace and plot points before picking up steam in the later seasons. But that's a small complaint amid the gold stars this series achieves in giving us a comic-book adaptation brimming with strong performances, pitch-perfect writing and nuanced messages on religion and the duality between good and evil. Watch "Preacher" on Netflix until Aug. 19
UPI
08-08-2025
- Health
- UPI
Initial results show promise for Eli Lilly's new weight loss drug
A new weight loss pill made by Eli Lilly helped people lose a significant amount of weight in a recent study. Taken at the highest dose, orforglipron helped patients lose an average 27.3 pounds, or 12.4% of their body weight, over 72 weeks. Eli Lilly says it plans to apply for U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval by the end of the year to market the drug. If approved, the pill could become a simpler alternative to injectable medications like Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound and Mounjaro, which are used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes. Pills are easier to make and "can be manufactured at a significant scale," Kenneth Custer, Eli Lilly's president of cardiometabolic health, told The New York Times. "There are orders of magnitude differences in how many we can support," he said, adding that pills could also help people in countries without access to cold storage needed for injected drugs. Like the injected medications, the new pill belongs to the GLP-1 class of drugs. GLP-1 drugs work by helping people feel full longer and by slowing digestion, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The recent study included 3,127 adults who were randomly assigned to take orforglipron or a placebo. Three different dosages of the drug were evaluated. In addition to weight loss, people taking the drug also saw improvements in cholesterol, triglyceride levels and blood pressure. Side effects were similar to those seen with injectable drugs and included vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and indigestion, The Times said. Earlier this year, Lilly also tested orforglipron in people with type 2 diabetes and found that it lowered blood sugar and led to weight loss similar to Ozempic. The company plans to seek FDA approval to market the drug for diabetes use in 2026, The Times reported. Orforglipron has not yet been compared directly with injected drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound. In a previous study, Zepbound helped people lose 20.2% of their weight, and Wegovy led to a 13.2% weight loss over 72 weeks. Still, experts say the new pill may have key benefits. It may not be as powerful as injections, though, said Dr. David Cummings, an obesity expert at the University of Washington in Seattle. But if it's a lot cheaper and easier to make, Cummings said, then "that feature alone could make it truly impactful." Eli Lilly has not yet said how much the pill will cost, and plans to decide after the FDA reviews it for marketing approval. About 8 million Americans now take obesity medications, even though an estimated 170 million could benefit, according to Custer. He said a major reason is that making injected drugs is expensive and slow, The Times said. Because pills are easier to make and store, this new drug could help reach more people, Custer added. More information Learn more about Eli Lilly's mission. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
7NEWS
07-08-2025
- Health
- 7NEWS
Experimental pill helps patients shed 12 per cent of body weight
Eli Lilly says its experimental GLP-1 pill helped patients lose 12.4 per cent of their body weight after 72 weeks in a late-stage study. Unlike injectable obesity drugs, which are peptides designed to mimic the appetite-controlling GLP-1 hormone, orforglipron is a small molecule pill that is easier to manufacture and package, said Kenneth Custer, president of Lilly's cardiometabolic health division. Lilly, whose injectable GLP-1 Zepbound competes directly with Wegovy, views the once-daily pill as a promising alternative to injections that could be used for early intervention and long-term disease management, Custer said. 'We have pretty big aspirations for how many patients orforglipron could help,' he said, adding that Lilly still expects to file for regulatory approvals of the once-daily pill before the end of the year. In the study of more than 3000 overweight or obese adults with weight-related health issues, but not diabetes, those who received the highest 36 milligram dose of orforglipron on average shed 12.4 per cent of their weight versus 0.9 per cent for those who received a placebo. Patients on a six-milligram dose of the Lilly drug lost 7.8 per cent of their weight. The most common side effects seen in the study were mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal issues. The rate of nausea for high-dose patients was 33.7 per cent, while 24 per cent experienced vomiting, compared with 10.4 per cent and 3.5 per cent, respectively for the placebo group. Just over 10 per cent of the high-dose patients dropped out of the trial due to adverse side effects. No liver safety issues were seen, Lilly said. Custer said orforglipron can be taken without restrictions on food and water. Lilly said orforglipron also lowered markers of heart disease risk, including cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure, across all doses. Lilly has also said it has begun manufacturing the drug in order to stockpile supply ahead of a commercial launch, which should help avoid shortages experienced when early demand for the injectables far outstripped supply. The full results from the Lilly-backed trial will be presented next month at a major European diabetes meeting, the Indianapolis-based drugmaker said.
GMA Network
07-08-2025
- Health
- GMA Network
Lilly's GLP-1 pill cuts body weight by 12.4% in trial, lagging Novo's Wegovy
Eli Lilly said on Thursday that its experimental GLP-1 pill helped patients lose 12.4% of their body weight after 72 weeks in a late-stage study, less than previous trial results for Novo Nordisk's injectable obesity treatment Wegovy. Lilly shares tumbled about 14% in premarket trading as the data failed to meet the high bar set by investors. Unlike injectable obesity drugs, which are peptides designed to mimic the appetite-controlling GLP-1 hormone, orforglipron is a small molecule pill that is easier to manufacture and package, said Kenneth Custer, president of Lilly's cardiometabolic health division. Lilly, whose injectable GLP-1 Zepbound competes directly with Wegovy, views the once-daily pill as a promising alternative to injections that could be used for early intervention and long-term disease management, Custer said. Patient preference also leans towards oral medications over injections. Several studies have shown that a significant portion of patients prefer pills due to convenience and a dislike of needles. "We have pretty big aspirations for how many patients orforglipron could help," he said, adding that Lilly still expects to file for regulatory approvals of the once-daily pill before the end of the year. In the over 3,000-person study of overweight or obese adults with weight-related health issues, but not diabetes, those who received the highest 36-milligram dose of orforglipron on average shed 12.4% of their weight versus 0.9% for those who received a placebo. Patients on the 6 mg dose of the Lilly drug lost 7.8% of their weight. After early trial results, expectations were high for the drug to do better than Novo's Wegovy, said Barclays analyst Emily Field. "[But] it's worse than Wegovy so it's a shock." The most common side effects seen in the study were mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal issues. The rate of nausea for high-dose patients was 33.7%, while 24% experienced vomiting, compared with 10.4% and 3.5%, respectively, for the placebo group. At least two analysts said that the tolerability profile of orforglipron also came in below what was seen in the drug's trial with diabetes patients. "While we still see this as a manageable profile, rates of nausea and vomiting may be higher than investor expectations," BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman said. Just over 10% of the high-dose patients dropped out of the trial due to adverse side effects. No liver safety issues were seen, Lilly said. At least three analysts said the market had been looking for orforglipron to match Wegovy's 14.9% weight loss over 68 weeks, as shown in a 2021 trial, with some expecting the pill to surpass Novo's popular drug. "That is a best case scenario for Novo ... The competitive threat from Lilly is suddenly much weaker than anticipated," Novo and Lilly shareholder Markus Manns told Reuters Zepbound and Wegovy currently dominate the weight-loss market, which some analysts expect to reach $150 billion by the early 2030s. The US Food and Drug Administration is reviewing a high-dose oral version of Wegovy for potential approval later this year. Novo said it helped overweight or obese adults lose 15% of their body weight in a late-stage trial. Custer said orforglipron can be taken without restrictions on food and water. Lilly said orforglipron also lowered markers of heart disease risk, including cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure, across all doses. Wegovy has been approved to reduce the risk of major heart problems, and Lilly last week released data showing the heart-protective qualities of diabetes treatment Mounjaro, which has the same main ingredient as Zepbound. Heart disease approvals would greatly enhance the likelihood of insurance coverage for weight-loss drugs. The company announced earlier this year that a Phase 3 study found that type 2 diabetes patients lost nearly 8% of their body weight after 40 weeks on orforglipron. Lilly has also said it has begun manufacturing the drug in order to stockpile supply ahead of a commercial launch, which should help avoid shortages experienced when early demand for the injectables far outstripped supply. The full results from the Lilly-backed trial will be presented next month at a major European diabetes meeting, the Indianapolis-based drugmaker said. — Reuters
NBC Sports
20-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
How to watch Saturday's Xfinity race at Pocono: Start time, TV info and weather
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will return to Pocono Raceway for its longest race on the 2.5-mile track since 2019. Saturday's race is scheduled for 100 laps (250 miles) at Pocono, whose past five Xfinity Series races were scheduled for 90 laps. The Xfinity Series' 2016-19 races at Pocono were scheduled for 100 laps. Cole Custer won the June 1, 2019 race that was extended to 103 laps by a late caution flag. Custer also won the Xfinity race at Pocono last year but won't return to defend after moving back up to the Cup Series this season. Austin Hill (who won at the 2.5-mile track in 2023) is the only past Xfinity winner at Pocono in the field. Details for Saturday's Xfinity race at Pocono Raceway (All times Eastern) START: The command to start engines will be given at 3:29 p.m. ... The green flag is scheduled to wave at 3:40 p.m. PRERACE: The Xfinity garage will open at 8:30 a.m. ... Practice is at 10 a.m. ... Qualifying is scheduled to begin at 11:05 a.m. ... Driver introductions are at 3 p.m. DISTANCE: The race is 100 laps (250 miles) on the 2.5-mile track. STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 25. Stage 2 ends at Lap 50. ENTRY LIST: Click here for the 38 cars entered at Pocono Raceway. TV/RADIO: CW will broadcast the race starting at 3 p.m. ... Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will have radio coverage. FORECAST: WeatherUnderground — A mixture of sunshine and clouds with a high of 82 degrees and winds from the west at 5 to 10 mph. It's expected to be 80 degrees with a 13% chance of rain for the start of the Xfinty Series race. LAST TIME: Cole Custer led the final nine laps to beat Justin Allgaier by 0.670 seconds on July 13, 2024.
