Amgen's Monthly Weight Loss Drug Faces Steep Competition

Amgen is developing its monthly weight loss drug MariTide, which aims to compete directly against Eli Lilly's Zepbound and Novo Nordisk's Wegovy. These two companies are leaders in the anti-obesity market with their weekly injection-based treatments. Amgen's MariTide uses a unique approach by combining an antibody that blocks glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) with peptides that activate glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor, enabling monthly dosing.

In its phase 2 trial, adults taking MariTide lost between 12.3% to 16.2% of their body weight after 52 weeks, compared to 2.5% on placebo. However, this result lags behind the efficacy of Eli Lilly's tirzepatide and Novo Nordisk's semaglutide, which achieved 20.2% and 13.7% weight loss respectively in head-to-head trials.

Amgen's commercial chief, Murdo Gordon, stated that they expect MariTide to be the best 'monthly or less frequently dosed' agent in obesity treatment. However, the company may face challenges in getting patients to switch from their current treatments to MariTide, particularly as Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are working on new therapies.

Amgen's Maritime-1 trial, a 3,501-patient obesity study, is expected to reach primary completion by January 21, 2027. Until then, the company relies on its convenience advantage, which may not be enough to compete with established players in the market.