Introducing MariTide: Amgen’s Potential Weight Loss Drug Facing Safety Concerns
Have you heard about Amgen’s experimental weight loss injection, MariTide? This promising potential competitor in the weight loss drug market has been making headlines recently as analysts dissect bone density loss data from an early-stage trial, causing Amgen’s stock to tumble by more than 7%.
But what does this mean for investors? While some analysts have raised concerns about a new potential safety risk associated with MariTide, others believe that the market’s reaction may be an overreaction. More data from a larger group of patients is needed to make a definitive judgment.
MariTide differs from existing weight loss injections from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly as it is designed to be taken monthly rather than weekly. The drug promotes weight loss differently and is eagerly awaited in the market.
Wall Street is anxiously waiting for crucial phase two trial results on MariTide, set to be released before the end of the year. Currently, publicly available data from a phase one study shows that the highest dose of MariTide was linked to a 4% loss of bone mineral density over 12 weeks. This decrease in bone mineral density raises concerns as weaker bones are more likely to break.
Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Olivia Brayer highlighted the potential risk associated with drugs like MariTide, which work through GIPR antagonism. The drug is designed to block a gut hormone receptor called GIP while activating an appetite-suppressing hormone called GLP-1.
Despite the concerns, Jefferies analyst Michael Yee believes that the current data on MariTide is a “non-issue.” While patients on the highest dose experienced declines in bone density, data on lower doses actually showed an increase before normalizing. Yee emphasized that bone density changes are a known side effect of weight loss drugs in the initial months of use.
Overall, analysts are cautious about making overarching judgments on the safety profile of MariTide based on limited data. They believe that a larger cohort of patients is needed to fully assess the drug’s safety profile. So, should investors be worried about Amgen’s MariTide? Stay tuned for more updates and full phase two trial data release to make an informed decision.
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