Amgen's MariTide: A New Chapter in Obesity Treatment

Amgen's obesity drug MariTide shows promise in maintaining weight loss with less frequent dosing. In trials, it achieved up to 20% weight loss in obese patients, though side effects like nausea were noted. The drug offers an alternative to weekly options, boasting reduced symptoms and promising outcomes in diabetes patients.

Amgen has announced promising results from an extension study of its obesity drug, MariTide, which suggests the drug aids weight maintenance when administered at reduced frequencies or dosages. This announcement was made by CEO Bob Bradway at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco.

The experimental drug, now in a monthly injection form, is being explored for quarterly use, potentially offering a comparative advantage over popular weekly weight-loss medications like Eli Lilly's Zepbound and Novo Nordisk's Wegovy. June's Phase 2 trial showed MariTide enabling up to 20% body weight reduction in obese patients, with the majority experiencing manageable gastrointestinal side effects.

The trial's second phase revealed that patients who lost 15% or more of their weight maintained these results with lower or less frequent doses. The second year of treatment was generally well tolerated, and future tests will build on these findings, ensuring reduced side effects and robust efficacy. MariTide also showed positive outcomes in diabetics, signaling a potential breakthrough in obesity treatment.

(With inputs from agencies.)