Amgen Develops Monthly Obesity Drug MariTide to Challenge Weekly Injection Market
Amgen (AMGN) is advancing its experimental obesity drug, MariTide, which aims to significantly improve patient adherence by reducing dosing frequency from weekly injections to once a month or even once every three months. The company has initiated Phase 3 trials comparing MariTide directly against Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide. This development targets the massive weight-loss market, currently dominated by Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO), where weekly dosing is often cited as a barrier to long-term treatment. Financially, Amgen reported strong third-quarter results, with revenue rising 8% to $10.4 billion and non-GAAP earnings per share of $6.45, beating Wall Street estimates. While the company raised its full-year outlook, analysts note that long-term valuation remains heavily dependent on MariTide's clinical success. Although Phase 2 data showed promising weight loss, it trailed behind results seen from competitors like Eli Lilly’s retatrutide.
Topics: clinical trials earnings report obesity drugs weight loss