RESULTS FROM AMGEN'S PHASE 2 OBESITY STUDY OF MONTHLY MARITIDE PRESENTED AT THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION 85TH SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS
- Achieved impressive weight loss results: ~20% in non-diabetic and ~17% in diabetic patients vs. placebo (2.6% and 1.4%)
- No weight loss plateau observed at 52 weeks, indicating potential for further reduction
- Significant HbA1c reduction of up to 2.2% in diabetic patients
- Monthly or less frequent dosing could improve treatment adherence
- Lower starting doses improved GI tolerability without compromising efficacy
- Demonstrated improvements in cardiometabolic measures including blood pressure and lipid parameters
- Most common adverse events were gastrointestinal-related
- Discontinuation rates due to GI adverse events reached up to 7.8% in dose escalation arms
- Phase 1 study showed high vomiting rates (22.5-24.4%) even with dose escalation
Insights
Amgen's MariTide shows impressive ~20% weight loss at 52 weeks with monthly dosing, positioning it as a strong competitor in the obesity market.
MariTide's Phase 2 results demonstrate exceptional efficacy with ~20% average weight loss in non-diabetic obesity patients and ~17% weight loss in those with Type 2 diabetes after 52 weeks. What's particularly notable is that weight loss hadn't plateaued at the one-year mark, suggesting potential for even greater reductions with continued treatment.
The monthly or less frequent dosing regimen represents a significant competitive advantage over currently approved GLP-1 medications that require daily or weekly administration. This convenience factor could drive better adherence and potentially superior real-world outcomes.
MariTide also showed substantial metabolic benefits, including HbA1c reductions of up to 2.2% in diabetic patients and improvements in cardiometabolic markers including waist circumference, blood pressure, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and lipid parameters.
The safety profile appears manageable with primarily mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal side effects, consistent with the GLP-1 class. Importantly, the optimized dose escalation strategy substantially improved tolerability, with discontinuation rates due to GI events of up to 7.8% in dose escalation arms—lower than in non-dose escalation arms.
The comprehensive Phase 3 MARITIME program is already enrolling participants, with additional studies in cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and sleep apnea planned for 2025. This broad development approach indicates Amgen's strategic commitment to establishing MariTide across multiple obesity-related indications.
These results position MariTide as a potentially best-in-class obesity treatment that could challenge current market leaders with its combination of strong efficacy, reduced dosing frequency, and improved tolerability through optimized dose escalation.
MariTide's monthly dosing with sustained ~20% weight loss and 2.2% HbA1c reduction represents a potential breakthrough in obesity treatment.
The absence of a weight loss plateau at 52 weeks is particularly significant from a metabolic perspective. Current obesity treatments typically show diminishing returns over time, but MariTide's continual weight reduction trajectory suggests a potentially different mechanism of action or enhanced target engagement compared to existing therapies.
For context, the ~20% weight loss in non-diabetic obesity patients and ~17% weight loss in those with Type 2 diabetes exceeds what we typically see with most current GLP-1 receptor agonists. The 2.2% reduction in HbA1c in diabetic patients is also clinically meaningful and comparable to dedicated diabetes medications.
The cardiometabolic improvements across multiple parameters suggest MariTide addresses the broader pathophysiology of obesity beyond just weight. Reductions in waist circumference indicate decreased visceral adiposity, which is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome. Improvements in blood pressure, hs-CRP (an inflammation marker), and lipid parameters point to potential cardiovascular risk reduction.
The optimized dose escalation strategy addresses one of the primary limitations of GLP-1 therapies – gastrointestinal tolerability. Starting at 21mg followed by 35mg and 70mg over an eight-week period appears to significantly improve the side effect profile without compromising efficacy.
Monthly or less frequent dosing represents a paradigm shift for metabolic treatments. The potential improved adherence could translate to better long-term outcomes, especially given that obesity is a chronic condition requiring sustained therapy. This dosing advantage, combined with the impressive efficacy profile, positions MariTide as a potentially transformative therapy in the obesity and diabetes landscape.
MariTide, the First Monthly or Less Frequently Dosed Obesity Treatment, Demonstrated Up to ~
In People Living With Obesity With Type 2 Diabetes, MariTide Demonstrated Up to ~
Dose Escalation With Lower Starting Doses Substantially Improved Gastrointestinal Tolerability, Without Compromising Efficacy
The MARITIME Phase 3 Chronic Weight Management Studies are Actively Enrolling, and Phase 3 Studies in People Living With Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, Heart Failure and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Will be Initiated in 2025
In the Phase 2 study, MariTide demonstrated up to ~
"MariTide delivered strong efficacy, including sustained weight loss without a plateau in the 52-week Phase 2 study and meaningful improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors, representing a defining advance for the obesity field," said Jay Bradner, M.D., executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen. "These results, alongside the Phase 1 Pharmacokinetics Low Dose Initiation data, have shaped our Phase 3 MARITIME program. MariTide's monthly or less frequent dosing has the potential to improve adherence and long-term weight control, providing the opportunity to optimize health outcomes for people living with obesity, Type 2 diabetes and related conditions."
No new safety signals were identified in the Phase 2 study and tolerability was consistent with the GLP-1 class. The most frequently reported adverse events (AEs) were gastrointestinal (GI) related, and most were mild to moderate. The study employed a rigorous daily patient reporting tool known as the MINVR (modified index of nausea/vomiting/retching) to actively solicit the presence of select GI symptoms in addition to standard unsolicited AE reporting. Gastrointestinal events were predominantly limited to initial dosing and less frequent when dose escalation was used without compromising efficacy. Discontinuation rates of MariTide due to GI AEs in the dose escalation arms (up to
"In this Phase 2 study, participants living with obesity treated with MariTide had substantial weight reduction at 52 weeks without reaching a weight plateau," said Ania Jastreboff, M.D., Ph.D., professor at Yale School of Medicine and director of the Y-Weight Yale Obesity Research Center. "Additionally, robust improvements in HbA1c were observed in participants who had Type 2 diabetes and obesity. These data demonstrate the potential for once monthly or less frequent dosing and are particularly encouraging as we seek sustainable, long-term treatments for people living with obesity, with and without Type 2 diabetes."
The Phase 1 PK-LDI study assessed PK and also used the MINVR reporting tool to assess different dose escalation schedules of MariTide. The complete primary analysis showed participants that received 21 mg/70 mg/350 mg had an overall incidence of vomiting of
Data from the Phase 2 and Phase 1 PK-LDI MariTide studies informed the Phase 3 MARITIME program. The recently initiated Phase 3, 72-week chronic weight management studies will evaluate the safety, efficacy and tolerability of MariTide in participants living with obesity or overweight with and without Type 2 diabetes. Participants will be randomized to one of three target doses, each with an initial starting dose of 21 mg, followed by 35 mg and then 70 mg, over a further optimized eight-week dose escalation period. Amgen also expects to initiate Phase 3 clinical outcomes studies for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and heart failure (HF), as well as a Phase 3 study for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in 2025.
Amgen to Webcast Investor Meeting at ADA 85th Scientific Sessions
Amgen will host a webcast call for the investment community in conjunction with the ADA Scientific Sessions. On Monday, June 23 at 4:30 p.m. CDT, Jay Bradner, M.D., executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen, along with other members of Amgen's management team, will discuss the MariTide program. The webcast, as with other selected presentations regarding developments in Amgen's business given by management at certain investor and medical conferences, can be found on Amgen's website, www.amgen.com, under Investors. Information regarding presentation times, webcast availability and webcast links are noted on Amgen's Investor Relations Events Calendar. The webcast will be archived and available for replay for at least 90 days after the event.
About the Phase 2 MariTide Study (NCT05669599)
The trial enrolled 592 adults into two Cohorts. Cohort A enrolled participants living with obesity or overweight without Type 2 diabetes and Cohort B enrolled participants living with obesity or overweight with Type 2 diabetes. In Part 1, participants in Cohort A (n=465) were assigned to one of four monthly fixed dose arms (placebo, 140 mg, 280 mg, or 420 mg) or an 8-week, 420 mg dose arm. There were also two dose escalation arms, with a starting dose of 70 mg and a target dose of 420 mg, given over a 4-week or 12-week dose escalation period. Adults in Cohort B (n=127) were assigned to one of four monthly fixed dose arms (placebo, 140 mg, 280 mg, and 420 mg).
In Cohort A, the mean percent change in weight loss from baseline to Week 52 per the treatment policy estimand2 ranged from
At the end of Part 1, participants who met eligibility criteria (at least
For more detailed information about the study, visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05669599.
To learn more about MARITIME, a Phase 3 program in obesity and obesity-related conditions, visit www.maritimestudy.com.
About Phase 2 Efficacy Estimand and Treatment Policy Estimand (Intent-to-Treat Analysis)
The efficacy estimand represents the efficacy as if treated participants had adhered to MariTide for the entire 52-week study period. The efficacy estimand includes endpoint data so long as study drug is taken. Where endpoint data is missing with early discontinuation, the endpoint results for the patient are estimated using individual patient response and predicted performance after drug discontinuation.
The treatment policy estimand, i.e., intent-to-treat analysis, represents the efficacy of treated participants regardless of adherence to MariTide for the entire 52-week study period and conforms to regulatory guidance for clinical trials. The treatment policy estimand includes all endpoint data, irrespective of whether study drug is taken or not. Where endpoint data is missing with early discontinuation, this approach assumes the endpoint for the study patient approximates that of placebo.
The difference between the results generated by the efficacy estimand and the treatment policy estimand was driven by early discontinuations and a conservatively defined treatment estimand used in the Phase 2 study.
About Phase 1 PK-LDI Study (NCT06976372)
The Phase 1 pharmacokinetics low dose initiation (PK-LDI) study was a Phase 1, randomized, double-blind, multiple-dose, parallel-group study to investigate the PK, safety, and tolerability of multiple dose escalation schemes of MariTide administered subcutaneously (SC) in patients living with obesity or overweight. On Day 1, participants were randomized to receive one of three dosing regimens, either 21 mg, 35 mg, or 70 mg of MariTide SC, followed by a dose of 70 mg on Day 15, followed by a dose of 350 mg on Day 29. The primary endpoints were pharmacokinetics of MariTide including maximum observed concentration (Cmax) and area under the concentration time-curve (AUC). Secondary endpoints included incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events and serious adverse events, and incidence of anti-MariTide antibodies. In addition to standard reporting, GI (AEs) were also ascertained directly from patients with MINVR. The primary analysis included all data for participants through the Day 43 visit. Overall, 121 participants were enrolled and included in the safety population, defined as participants who received at least one dose of MariTide and at least one post-dose safety assessment.
For more detailed information about the study, please visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06976372.
About Obesity
Obesity is a complex biological disease that increases the risk of many other serious diseases and conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, heart failure, kidney disease, sleep apnea, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. The worldwide prevalence of obesity more than doubled between 1990 and 2022. In the
Obesity is linked to a marked reduction in quality of life and an array of serious medical complications and conditions. Despite the breadth of the disease, the formal recognition of obesity as a chronic disease by the American Medical Association (2013) and the European Health Commission (2021), and medical guidelines recommending pharmacologic treatment in appropriate individuals, only
For more information about Amgen's approach to addressing obesity and related conditions, visit https://www.amgen.com/obesity.
About MariTide
MariTide is a bispecific glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) antagonist being investigated for the treatment of obesity and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. As a pioneering peptide-antibody conjugate molecule with a long half-life and dual mechanism of action, MariTide may allow for greater durability or reduce the likelihood of weight regain after treatment stops. Amgen used its genetic expertise to identify GIP receptor inhibition as a key factor in reducing body mass, an insight that led to MariTide's development. Pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that simultaneously activating GLP-1 and inhibiting GIP pathways had a stronger effect on weight loss than targeting either GLP-1 or GIP receptors alone.
A primary clinical goal for people living with obesity or overweight is to achieve weight loss, and avoid weight regain thereby improving health. Given the heterogeneity of obesity and the number of people impacted, a variety of approaches will be needed. In addition to MariTide, Amgen is also advancing an obesity pipeline, which includes both oral and injectable approaches, composed of both incretin and non-incretin mechanisms.
About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative medicines to help millions of patients in their fight against some of the world's toughest diseases. More than 40 years ago, Amgen helped to establish the biotechnology industry and remains on the cutting-edge of innovation, using technology and human genetic data to push beyond what's known today. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline that builds on its existing portfolio of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and rare diseases.
In 2024, Amgen was named one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" by Fast Company and one of "America's Best Large Employers" by Forbes, among other external recognitions. Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average®, and it is also part of the Nasdaq-100 Index®, which includes the largest and most innovative non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization.
For more information, visit Amgen.com and follow Amgen on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and Threads.
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References
1 The efficacy estimand represents the efficacy as if treated participants had adhered to MariTide for the entire 52-week study period. The efficacy estimand includes endpoint data so long as study drug is taken. Where endpoint data is missing with early discontinuation, the endpoint results for the patient are estimated using individual patient response and predicted performance after drug discontinuation.
2 The treatment policy estimand, i.e., intent-to-treat analysis, represents the efficacy of treated participants regardless of adherence to MariTide for the entire 52-week study period and conforms to regulatory guidance for clinical trials. The treatment policy estimand includes all endpoint data, irrespective of whether study drug is taken or not. Where endpoint data is missing with early discontinuation, this approach assumes the endpoint for the study patient approximates that of placebo.
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