Amgen’s investigational antibody peptide conjugate has shown promise in a mid-stage trial of patients who are overweight or obese.
In the ongoing dose-ranging study, MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide) demonstrated up to 20% average weight loss in patients without type 2 diabetes at week 52.
Patients with type 2 diabetes, who typically lose less weight on GLP-1 therapies, achieved up to 17% average weight loss, and experienced a reduction in average haemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) of up to 2.2% points at week 52.
A weight loss plateau was not observed in either patient population, which Amgen said indicates the potential for further weight loss.
MariTide also demonstrated “robust and clinically meaningful” improvements in cardiometabolic parameters, including blood pressure, triglycerides and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein across doses, and there were no significant increases in free fatty acids.
The trial will continue to evaluate weight loss with MariTide treatment beyond 52 weeks, weight maintenance through less frequent or lower dosing, and durability of weight loss after discontinuation of the drug.
Amgen has also announced a phase 3 clinical development programme, MARITIME, across obesity and a number of related conditions.
More than two in five adults in the US are living with obesity, which increases the risk of serious diseases and conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart failure, kidney disease, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.
Amgen’s MariTide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist and GIPR antagonist that is expected to be delivered monthly or less frequently as a single dose in an autoinjector device.
The drug’s long half-life and dual mechanism of action may allow for greater durability or reduce the likelihood of weight rebound after treatment stops, the company said.
Commenting on the latest results for the drug, Jay Bradner, executive vice president of research and development and chief scientific officer at Amgen, said: “We are very excited by MariTide’s differentiated profile, with clinically meaningful attributes of substantial and progressive weight loss, monthly or less frequent dosing, significant improvements in cardiometabolic parameters and strong reduction of HbA1C. These results provide us confidence to initiate MARITIME…”