On Nov. 7, Amgen announced data from a Phase I clinical trial of its obesity treatment AMG133, which showed significant weight loss in patients who received both high and low doses of the treatment. The company expects to conduct a Phase II trial in early 2023, which will also include patients with diabetes and other metabolic diseases. In recent years, there has been a huge demand of diet pills on the market, and pharmaceutical companies are struggling to keep up with the demand. [1] [2]

Disclaimer: This article does not constitute medical advice. If you have health concerns, please consult a care provider.

On November 7, Amgen presented data from a Phase I clinical trial of its obesity treatment AMG133 at a conference. 110 volunteers lost 7.19% of their body weight after 85 days of testing in patients treated with three low doses of AMG133, and 14.52% of their body weight in patients treated with three high doses. In comparison, patients who received placebo therapy gained 1.49% of their body weight. Amgen said it has not observed any major safety issues, with most side effects being “mild and transient,” and expects to conduct a phase II trial in early 2023, which will also include patients with diabetes and other metabolic diseases. [1] [2]

Newer weight-loss drugs, such as Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy simethicone, which became available in 2021, and Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro teicoplanin, which is expected to be approved in 2023, mostly mimic the gut’s hormone that regulates satiety through once-a-week injections, whereas Amgen’s AMG133 only needs to be injected once a month. once a month. But overall, all of these new drugs are 2-3 times more effective than traditional diet pills and don’t have those laundry list of side effects.

In recent years, there has been a huge demand of diet pills on the market, and pharmaceutical companies are struggling to keep up with the demand. Even though Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro is currently only approved for diabetes, the company is still struggling to maintain its supply. As Mounjaro gets approved as an obesity treatment next year, it could quickly become one of the best-selling drugs in the industry’s history. Similarly, Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy has been in short supply even though it has been on the market for more than a year. The company expects to address the issue by the end of 2022. [3]

References

[1] Amgen Conference Call from AHA 2022. investors.amgen.com/static-files/1ae9e479-ef61-480a-9594-692304745840. 

[2] Gardner, Jonathan. “Early Data Hint at Benefit for Amgen’s Obesity Drug.” BioPharma Dive, http://www.biopharmadive.com/news/amgen-obesity-amg-133-mounjaro-wegovy-nordisk-lilly/636041/. 

[3] Jarvis, Lisa. “Weight-Loss Drugs like Wegovy Not Always Covered by Insurance.” Bloomberg, http://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-11-09/weight-loss-drugs-like-wegovy-not-always-covered-by-insurance.

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