LOS ANGELES, Dec 3 (Portal) – Amgen Inc.’s (AMGN.O) experimental obesity drug showed promising durability trends in an early study and paves the way for a larger mid-stage trial early next year, company officials said ahead of a Data presentation on Saturday.
The small phase I study found that patients maintained their weight loss for 70 days after receiving the highest tested dose of the injected drug, currently known as AMG133.
Amgen shares are up about 5% since the company announced on Nov. 7 that a 12-week trial of the highest monthly dose of AMG133 resulted in a median weight loss of 14.5%.
150 days after the last dose, the sustained weight loss was down to 11.2% below the initial weight at the start of the study, according to the findings, detailed at a meeting of the World Congress on Insulin Resistance, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease in Los Angeles became.
Patients treated with AMG133 experienced side effects such as nausea and vomiting, but most cases were mild and resolved within a few days of the first dose, Amgen said.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 40% of the US population is obese, costing nearly $173 billion annually. It’s a leading cause of type 2 diabetes and has been linked to heart disease, certain cancers, and other health complications like more severe COVID-19.
The weight-loss area has garnered renewed medical and investor attention in recent months after diabetes drugs from Eli Lilly and Co and Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), known as Semaglutide and Tirzepatide, were shown to help obese patients lose weight.
Both drugs, which have to be injected every two weeks, are said to activate GLP-1, a hormone that triggers the feeling of satiety in the body after eating.
Amgen’s AMG133 also targets GLP-1, but has a dual mechanism that simultaneously aims to block the activity of a gene known as GIP.
The drug was developed from work at Amgen to identify genetic signals associated with lower fat mass and body weight and healthy metabolic profiles, explained Saptarsi Haldar, head of cardiovascular metabolic discovery at Amgen.
“Genetics clearly showed in several large populations that genetically decreased GIP receptor gene activity was associated with lower BMI (body mass index),” he said.
The California-based biotech plans to start a larger mid-stage study of AMG133 early next year that will enroll a broader range of patients, including those with additional health conditions such as diabetes.
JP Morgan analyst Chris Schott said earlier this month that if all goes well, a Phase III trial of AMG133 could begin in 2024, with a launch expected in 2026 or 2027 if approved.
Reporting by Deena Beasley Edited by Bill Berkrot
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