Amgen's Dazodalibep Shows Promise in Treating Systemic Sjögren's Disease

Amgen's experimental autoimmune drug dazodalibep has shown promise in treating systemic Sjögren's disease, a common autoimmune illness that attacks moisture-producing glands. In a late-stage study, dazodalibep produced a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement on a standard score of how the disease affects organs and systems. The trial enrolled about 621 adults with meaningful whole-body disease activity and showed gains appeared as early as week 4 and lasted through the study. Side effects were generally mild to moderate in the trial, and few patients stopped treatment. However, Citi argues that the magnitude of efficacy and competitive profile 'remain open questions' until more 'fulsome data' are presented.

The results come from Amgen's second late-stage study in patients with Sjögren's disease, which is expected to finish in the fourth quarter. Amgen gained dazodalibep through its 2023 purchase of Horizon Therapeutics. Citi has a Neutral rating and a $405 price target on Amgen shares, implying a potential upside of 3% from the stock's Monday close.