Amgen’s comments Thursday that it’s “very encouraged” by interim Phase 2 data for its obesity drug have quickly sparked immense investor interest in what could be a potential contender with Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound.
The injectable drug MariTide, designed to be given monthly, could be a more attractive option than Wegovy and Zepbound, which are both dosed weekly. While the Phase 2 trial is still ongoing, Amgen is already planning to run a broad Phase 3 program and scale up manufacturing “with both clinical and commercial supply in mind,” Chief Executive Bob Bradway said on an earnings call.
Even though executives shared no data from the interim analysis of its injectable drug, excitement around the molecule has already sent Amgen’s stock up 12% Friday.
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