Amgen's Autoimmune Drug Dazodalibep Shows Promise in Late-Stage Trial

Amgen's experimental drug dazodalibep has shown promise in treating Sjogren's disease, an autoimmune condition that affects moisture-producing glands. In a late-stage trial, patients with moderate-to-severe symptoms saw significant improvement at week 48, meeting the main goal of reducing disease activity.

The trial involved patients with Sjogren's disease, which causes dryness in the eyes, mouth, and other parts of the body, as well as fatigue and chronic pain. It affects about 1% of the global population, predominantly women. The National Institutes of Health notes this prevalence.

Amgen said that most adverse events were mild to moderate, with few patients discontinuing treatment. Analyst Matt Phipps called the trial results encouraging, given the drug's high risk and development challenges in Sjogren's disease.

Novartis and Johnson & Johnson are also developing treatments for Sjogren's disease, which currently has no approved treatments in the US. Amgen plans to present detailed data from the trial at an upcoming medical meeting, with more results expected from a separate trial in 2026.