3. Scholar Rock Holding Corporation (NASDAQ:SRRK)
Rather than developing another conventional GLP-1 medicine, Scholar Rock Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SRRK) specializes in myostatin biology. Myostatin is a naturally occurring protein that limits skeletal-muscle growth, and the company is developing selective antibodies intended to preserve or increase muscle mass. This approach could become increasingly valuable as millions of patients begin using powerful obesity drugs and physicians pay greater attention not only to how much weight patients lose, but also to whether that lost weight comes from fat or metabolically important lean tissue.
The company produced encouraging proof-of-concept results from the Phase 2 EMBRAZE trial, which evaluated apitegromab alongside tirzepatide in adults with obesity or overweight. After 24 weeks, patients receiving the combination preserved an additional 4.2 pounds of lean mass compared with those receiving tirzepatide alone, representing 54.9% greater lean-mass preservation. Approximately 85% of the weight lost in the combination group came from fat, compared with about 70% among patients receiving tirzepatide alone. Participants taking apitegromab with tirzepatide lost 12.3% of their body weight, while those taking tirzepatide alone lost 13.4%, indicating that the antibody improved the composition of the weight loss while preserving most of tirzepatide’s overall effect. Apitegromab was also generally well tolerated, with no serious adverse events or treatment discontinuations considered related to the antibody.
Akshay Vaishnaw, M.D., Ph.D., President of Research and Development at Scholar Rock Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SRRK), said the results validated the company’s belief that selective myostatin inhibition could support “healthier weight loss” for patients using GLP-1 therapies by preserving lean mass. That positioning gives Scholar Rock Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SRRK) a potentially complementary role in the obesity market. The company would not necessarily need to compete directly with blockbuster drugs from Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE: NVO), or other incretin developers. Instead, its muscle-preservation treatments could potentially be added to successful obesity medicines, turning major GLP-1 manufacturers into possible partners rather than only competitors.
The next important obesity-related asset is SRK-439, a subcutaneously administered myostatin inhibitor designed to bind selectively to the pro- and latent forms of myostatin without binding related proteins such as GDF11 or Activin A. Scholar Rock Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SRRK) has already started a Phase 1 study of SRK-439 in healthy volunteers and expects topline results during the second half of 2026. Management believes the candidate could potently inhibit myostatin and increase muscle mass, potentially giving the company a more purpose-built treatment for obesity and other muscle-related conditions than apitegromab.
Scholar Rock Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SRRK) also has a major near-term opportunity outside obesity. Apitegromab is under FDA review for spinal muscular atrophy, with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act action date of September 30, 2026. The company said it was preparing to launch the medicine immediately following a potential approval. As of March 31, 2026, Scholar Rock Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SRRK) held approximately $479.9 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, although it reported a quarterly net loss of $105.5 million and had not yet generated product revenue. This means the company has meaningful financial resources, but it is also spending heavily as it prepares for commercialization and advances several clinical programs.
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