Amgen Testing Whether Different Is Better In Obesity, With Data Due This Year

GIP Receptor Antagonism Versus Agonism On Trial

 
• By Mandy Jackson

Amgen’s obesity drug MariTide will not have Phase II results until late 2024, but the company’s Q4 earnings call was dominated by questions seeking insight about the drug’s potential.

Weight scale instrument for measurement balance of people body concept
Amgen's Phase II MariTide data are expected in late 2024 • Source: Shutterstock

Amgen, Inc. has taken a divergent path with its obesity drug candidate maridebart cafraglutide (MariTide, AMG 133), a GLP-1 agonist and GIP receptor (GIPR) antagonist, which has delivered intriguing weight loss in a Phase I clinical trial despite differing from Eli Lilly and Company’s Zepbound (tirzepatide), which agonizes both GLP-1 and GIP. Phase II data for MariTide are not expected until late 2024, leaving observers impatient for data clarifying Amgen’s approach.

Key Takeaways

  • Amgen’s Q4 earnings call was dominated by questions about the company’s maridebart cafraglutide (MariTide, AMG 133), a GLP-1 agonist and GIP receptor (GIPR) antagonist.

  • Recently published detailed Phase I results raised additional concerns about the obesity candidate for which the company will report Phase II data in late 2024

While Amgen announced a 20% increase in Q4 revenue to $8.2bn, thanks to the closing of its $27.8bn acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics plc early in the quarter and gains for several of its products, the Q&A portion of the company’s 6 February sales and earnings call was dominated by questions about MariTide

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