The Amgen logo is displayed outside Amgen’s headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California, on May 17, 2023.
Tama Mario | Getty Images
A version of this article first appeared in CNBC’s Healthy Returns newsletter, which delivers the latest healthcare news straight to your inbox. To receive future editions, subscribe here.
Wall Street is chewing over important data released last week. amgenExperimental Weight Loss Injections – A Potential Competitor in the Blockbuster Obesity Drug Market.
Some analysts said initial mid-stage trial results looked positive overall. However, questions remain about the drug’s effectiveness and how well patients tolerate it, the researchers noted.
Further answers won’t be available until the company releases the full data from its study. This includes results from the second part of a trial to determine how long MariTide’s weight loss lasts.
Investors were initially not happy. Amgen stock fell more than 11% at market open last Tuesday as results appeared to fall slightly short of Wall Street’s lofty expectations for the drug.
The injectable Maritide helped obese patients lose weight by an average of up to 20% after one year without plateaus. Ahead of the data release, several analysts said they wanted Maritide to show at least 20% weight loss in Phase 2 trials, with some expecting up to 25%.
Based on late-stage research, this compares to existing injectables on the market.
novo nordiskWegovy showed that it led to a 15% weight loss in 68 weeks Eli LillyZepbound helped patients lose more than 22% of their body weight in 72 weeks
But BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Sagerman said in a note last week that last Tuesday’s stock price reaction reflected “a failure to assign value to the ease of administration and excessive expectations for weight loss rates” of the shot. He said he is doing so.
Notably, Amgen is testing Maritide as a once-monthly or less-frequently administered injection, which may be more convenient for patients than Novo Nordisk or Eli Lilly’s once-weekly injections. It would also be much more convenient and could be taken for a long period of time.
“MariTide data solidifies Amgen as a competitor in obesity and diabetes indications, and today we demonstrate convincing weight loss in both indications,” said Zeigerman. Ta.
In this trial, MariTide also helped patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes lose up to 17% of their weight after one year.
The drug’s effectiveness could also improve, Jefferies analyst Michael Yee said in a note last week. Yi said 20% weight loss after a year has no plateau and can increase to 25% by 18 months. In comparison, weight loss with Zepbound almost plateaued within a year, he noted.
The most common side effects of MariTide were gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting, and constipation. Nausea and vomiting were mainly mild and associated with the first dose of Maritide.
Amgen said dose escalation also significantly reduced the incidence of nausea and vomiting. Dose escalation refers to starting a patient on a lower dose of maritide and increasing the dose stepwise over a specified period of time until a higher target dose is reached.
Approximately 11% of patients in the dose-escalation group discontinued treatment due to adverse side effects, while less than 8% discontinued treatment due to gastrointestinal side effects, particularly nausea and vomiting.
Amgen reported that 70% of patients in the dose escalation group experienced nausea and 40% experienced vomiting.
However, Amgen conducted another early-stage study and found that patients who started Maritide at a lower initial dose significantly reduced that rate, with approximately 50% of patients reporting nausea and 20% reporting nausea. He said it was discovered that he had reported vomiting.
This appears to be higher than the levels of nausea and vomiting seen with Zepbound and Wegovy. Still, Sagerman said the mild severity of these side effects and the “limited time at which they occur at the beginning of treatment gives us confidence that they can be managed.”
He added: “We are encouraged by the decline seen with dose escalation.”
JPMorgan analyst Chris Schott said in a research note last week that Amgen will consider a lower starting dose in its Phase 3 trial of Maritide. He noted that the company believes “further improvements in tolerability in Phase 3 trials will be key to the potential widespread use of this asset.”
In a note last week, Leerink Partners analyst David Risinger outlined key questions that will need to be answered when the full results of the trial are released. He said this includes detailed data on how well patients tolerate the drug without dose escalation, as well as weight loss data for non-diabetic patients given the highest doses of the drug. It is said that there is.
Please feel free to send tips, suggestions, story ideas, and data to Annika at annikakim.constantino@nbcuni.com.
Latest healthcare technology: GE Healthcare acquires Japanese pharmaceutical company
GE Healthcare’s booth is seen ahead of the 2022 China International Services Trade Expo (CIFTIS) to be held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, China on August 28, 2022.
Yi Haifei | China News Service | Getty Images
GE Healthcare announced on Monday that it will fully acquire Japanese radiopharmaceutical company Nippon Mediphysics (NMP). GE Healthcare has owned 50% of the company since 2004 and plans to buy the remaining half from Sumitomo Chemical, according to the release.
Based in Tokyo, NMP was founded in 1973. The company manufactures radiopharmaceuticals, a special type of radioactive drug that can be used to treat some cancers and perform imaging tests. GE Healthcare said NMP operates 13 manufacturing facilities and conducts its own related research and development.
Competition among companies in the field of radiopharmaceuticals is becoming increasingly intense. bristol myers squib, AstraZenecaEli Lilly, Novartis Compete to develop them. Two of Novartis’ radiopharmaceuticals, Pluvicto and Lutathera, are already available in the US
NMP generated approximately $183 million in revenue last year, according to the release. Before Monday’s announcement, GE Healthcare held three seats on NMP’s board of directors.
“This strengthens our precision care strategy in Asia and our existing footprint in Japan, where our contrast agents and medical equipment are used every day, enabling diagnostic imaging across the country.” said Kevin O’Neill, President and CEO of Diagnostics. GE Healthcare said in a release.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed and the release said it is expected to close early next year. The acquisition still requires regulatory approval.
Salomon Partners advised GE Healthcare on the transaction.
GE Healthcare announced the acquisition at the Radiological Society of North America’s 2024 Annual Meeting in Chicago, where it shared a number of additional updates. This week, the company announced a new 3D MRI research infrastructure model, a new SPECT/CT solution, and a new filing with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Read the full release on GE HealthCare’s acquisition of NMP here.
Feel free to send tips, suggestions, story ideas, and data to Ashley at ashley.capoot@nbcuni.com.
