The Next Obesity Era

Obesity is one of the most prevalent diseases of our time, but recent scientific advancements have made significant weight loss a reality. However, much of the focus has been on the amount of weight loss rather than the quality of the weight loss itself and other associated health benefits. It’s important we understand that the amount of weight lost is not the full story.

Ongoing research has shown that the quality of the weight lost can matter just as much as the amount. The current generation of GLP-1s are highly effective for accelerated weight loss compared to earlier generation products, but can lead to significant lean mass loss as well as fat loss. Our ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial confirmed approximately 35% of GLP-induced weight loss was due to lean mass loss.

This loss in muscle can negatively affect people’s metabolic health and overall physical fitness, as muscle mass is an important element of long-term health.

Additionally, obesity is associated with several conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, knee osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, coronary artery disease, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, stroke, MASH and certain types of cancer. Weight loss among people affected by obesity may improve existing conditions and reduce the risk of developing these health issues in the future.

The quality of weight loss and long-term health are key elements that have not been at the forefront—until now.

To that end, we are investigating unimolecular, or single molecule, solutions that can target multiple pathways responsible for weight loss. These assets in our portfolio are being evaluated to enhance the weight loss seen within the class, as well as help address conditions that can accompany obesity.

Beyond this, we are conducting a clinical trial exploring the combination of a GLP-1 therapy with muscle-preserving antibodies for the treatment of obesity. Interim results demonstrated that this approach not only helped maintain lean mass but also increased the reduction of fat mass. Compared to GLP-1 therapy alone, the addition of muscle-preserving antibodies led to a significant improvement in muscle preservation.