Amgen's MariTide Obesity Drug Shows Promising Phase 2 Results Despite Investor Disappointment and Safety Concerns

Amgen's monthly obesity drug, MariTide, has shown encouraging results in its Phase 2 trial, achieving up to 20% average weight loss in obese or overweight individuals without diabetes over a 52-week period, and a 17% loss for participants with diabetes[1][2]. The trial involved 592 participants and demonstrated MariTide’s ability to not only facilitate weight loss but also maintain cardiometabolic health markers without significant increases in free fatty acids[1]. Despite this, investors were disappointed due to a higher than expected discontinuation rate, with 11% of participants withdrawing from the trial compared to 7% for Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, which affected investor confidence and resulted in a drop in Amgen’s stock shares[2]. Nevertheless, Amgen plans to proceed with a Phase 3 trial to further explore the drug's efficacy and its potential impact on conditions related to obesity, such as heart disease and sleep apnea[1][2].