Amgen scraps experimental weight reduction tablet, strikes ahead with injection

Amgen on Thursday stated it’s going to cease creating its experimental weight reduction tablet and as an alternative transfer ahead with its injectable drug and different merchandise in improvement for weight problems.

The announcement is a setback for Amgen, which is amongst a number of drugmakers racing to hitch the red-hot weight reduction drug house dominated by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, which some analysts say may very well be value $100 billion by the top of the last decade. However the firm has different alternatives to seize a slice of the market.

“Given the profile we have seen with [the oral drug], we won’t pursue additional improvement. As an alternative, in weight problems, we’re differentially investing in MariTide and plenty of preclinical belongings,” Jay Bradner, Amgen’s chief scientific officer, stated throughout an earnings name Thursday.

Amgen is creating an injectable weight problems remedy referred to as MariTide, which is in an ongoing midstage trial in overweight or chubby adults with out diabetes. The corporate will launch preliminary information from that research later this yr, and Bradner stated Amgen is “more than happy” with the outcomes to date.

The corporate stated it’s working with regulators to plan a late-stage trial for the remedy. Amgen stated Thursday it’s planning a stage two trial on the drug in diabetes remedy as nicely.

Amgen shares rose greater than 10% in prolonged buying and selling Thursday.

Amgen additionally has different medication in improvement for weight administration. 

The drugmaker’s oral drug, referred to as AMG-786, is the second weight reduction tablet to be discontinued over the previous yr.

Pfizer in December scrapped a twice-daily model of its weight problems tablet, danuglipron, after sufferers had a troublesome time tolerating the drug in a midstage trial. The corporate is now creating a once-daily model of that drug.

Buyers are laser-focused on Amgen’s pipeline of experimental weight reduction remedies. Amgen hopes to face out among the many crowded subject of potential gamers with a distinct strategy. 

The corporate’s experimental injection helps folks shed pounds in another way from the present injectable medication. A lot much like Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, one a part of Amgen’s remedy prompts a intestine hormone receptor referred to as GLP-1 to assist regulate an individual’s urge for food. 

However whereas Zepbound prompts a second hormone receptor referred to as GIP, Amgen’s drug blocks it. Wegovy doesn’t goal GIP, which suppresses urge for food like GLP-1, however may additionally enhance how the physique breaks down sugar and fats.

Amgen’s injectable remedy additionally seems to assist sufferers maintain weight off after they cease taking it primarily based on some medical trial information. The drugmaker can also be testing its drug to be taken as soon as a month and even much less steadily, which may supply extra comfort than the weekly medicines in the marketplace. 

Sufferers given the best dose of Amgen’s MariTide — 420 milligrams — each month misplaced 14.5% of their physique weight on common in simply 12 weeks, in response to information from the section one trial printed in February within the journal Nature Metabolism. 

Additionally on Thursday, Amgen reported first-quarter income and adjusted earnings that topped Wall Road’s expectations, partly as a consequence of merchandise from the not too long ago acquired Horizon Therapeutics. 

Here’s what Amgen reported for the primary quarter in contrast with what Wall Road was anticipating, primarily based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:

• Earnings per share: $3.96 vs. $3.87 anticipated
• Income: $7.45 billion vs. $7.44 billion anticipated

Amgen posted a web lack of $113 million, or 21 cents per share. That compares to a web earnings of $2.84 billion, or $5.28 per share, for the year-earlier interval.

Excluding sure gadgets, the corporate reported earnings of $3.96 per share. 

Amgen booked $7.45 billion in income for the primary quarter, up 22% from the identical interval a yr in the past. 

That features $914 million from Horizon Therapeutics merchandise, together with thyroid eye illness remedy Tepezza. 

Excluding medication from Horizon Therapeutics, Amgen stated its product gross sales grew 6% from the year-earlier interval. Ten merchandise delivered double-digit quantity development through the first quarter, together with cardiovascular drug Repatha, extreme bronchial asthma remedy Tezspire and Blincyto, a remedy for a sure blood most cancers.

Amgen barely narrowed its full-year steering on Thursday as nicely. 

The corporate expects 2024 income of $32.5 billion to $33.8 billion. That compares to a earlier steering of $32.4 billion to $33.8 billion. 

Amgen expects a full-year adjusted revenue of $19 to $20.20 per share. That compares to a earlier steering of $18.90 to $20.30 per share. 

Analysts surveyed by LSEG count on full-year income of $32.95 billion and adjusted revenue of $19.48 per share.