According to Reuters on October 18, American consumer groups and two major unions urged the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to block Novo Holdings, a shareholder of Novo Nordisk, from acquiring the contract drug manufacturer Catalent, stating that the trade threatens competition in the weight loss drug and cutting-edge gene therapy sectors. The American Public Interest Research Organization, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and other organizations expressed concerns in a letter to the FTC about this $16.5 billion deal. Last week, Democratic Senator Warren called on the FTC to closely monitor this deal for similar concerns. This transaction could limit options for competitors like Amgen, Pfizer, Roche, and AstraZeneca, who are reportedly developing GLP-1 drugs.