Terns Ditches Obesity Pill After Phase 2 Letdown, Shifts Focus to Cancer Pipeline

Terns Pharmaceuticals is discontinuing development of its oral obesity drug TERN-601 after its mid-stage (Phase 2) trial results showed underwhelming weight-loss efficacy and concerning safety signals, including instances of grade 3 liver enzyme elevations15.

Results from the 12-week Phase 2 trial showed that TERN-601 achieved placebo-adjusted weight loss of up to 4.6% in some regimens, but this outcome was described as 'uncompetitive' compared to rival oral GLP-1 agents, and below the company's internal expectation of at least 6% weight loss35.

Analysts and the company CEO declared the efficacy, safety, and tolerability data from the trial did not meet the threshold for further development, particularly given the competitive landscape and the success of therapies like Eli Lilly’s orforglipron135.

The company had previously indicated that metabolic disease programs would not receive further investment beyond 2025, and Terns now plans to focus its resources on oncology, specifically advancing TERN-701 for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)37.

Terns is seeking partners for its remaining metabolic disease assets, including TERN-501 and the TERN-800 series, as it pivots fully toward its oncology pipeline and plans to bring TERN-701 to pivotal trials7.

Sources:

1. https://www.biospace.com/drug-development/terns-turns-away-from-obesity-pill-after-uncompetitive-phase-ii-profile

3. https://www.stocktitan.net/news/TERN/terns-pharmaceuticals-reports-topline-12-week-data-from-its-phase-2-pjxzak8mhp7i.html

5. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/terns-mothballs-obesity-program-after-phase-2-data-fall-short

7. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/terns-vows-stop-funding-metabolic-disease-trials-beyond-2025-seeks-partners-assets