4. Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN)
Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) ranks fourth because MariTide could address one of the biggest complaints surrounding current obesity therapy: the need for frequent and potentially lifelong injections. MariTide combines GLP-1 receptor activation with inhibition of the GIP receptor and is designed for monthly or possibly less-frequent administration. If the approach succeeds in Phase 3, Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) could enter the market with one of its most clearly differentiated dosing profiles.
In the Phase 2 study, MariTide produced average weight loss of up to approximately 20% after 52 weeks among participants with obesity who did not have type 2 diabetes. Participants with obesity and type 2 diabetes achieved as much as approximately 17% average weight loss. Importantly, the company said weight loss had not plateaued at week 52, suggesting that longer treatment might produce additional reductions.
Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) described MariTide as the first obesity treatment with monthly or less-frequent dosing to demonstrate effective weight loss in a Phase 2 study. The convenience could improve adherence and simplify distribution, but the program still faces questions involving tolerability, dose escalation and how patients respond after treatment is stopped. Amgen’s financial resources, biologics-manufacturing capabilities and global commercial infrastructure significantly reduce the execution risk compared with smaller biotech competitors. MariTide does not have to exceed every rival on absolute weight loss; a monthly schedule with competitive efficacy could be enough to win a major share of the market.
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