Amgen’s obesity drug takes the weight off and may keep it off, too, early data suggest

Amgen's obesity drug, known as MariTide, has demonstrated promising results in early data, suggesting that it can take the weight off and potentially help maintain weight loss beyond treatment periods. Key findings and supporting details from the sources provided include:

1. High dose of MariTide administered monthly can reduce body weight by up to 15%, with weight loss sustained through several months (Source: 1).
2. Data from a small, early-stage study published in Nature Metabolism showed that patients lost up to 14.5% of their body weight within 12 weeks, and some maintained this reduction for up to 150 days after stopping the drug (Source: 2).
3. Unlike other GLP-1 drugs, MariTide is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that blocks the GIP receptor while also mimicking a gut hormone called GLP-1. This combination may contribute to longer-lasting weight loss effects (Sources: 2, 4).
4. Common side effects in early-stage trials are nausea and vomiting, and two patients experienced elevated pancreatic enzymes (Source: 4).
5. Amgen aims to explore whether MariTide can be tapered down or dosed less frequently, which could make it distinct from treatments like Eli Lilly's Zepbound and Novo Nordisk's Wegovy (Source: 3).
6. Amgen is currently conducting a Phase 2 trial, with results expected later this year, which includes a second part to evaluate weight loss reductions beyond 52 weeks (Sources: 1, 5).

These findings suggest that Amgen's MariTide may contribute to weight loss with the potential to maintain weight reduction even after treatment, which sets it apart from other obesity drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy when it comes to maintaining the effect after stopping the medication.