Novo Nordisk Experimental Obesity Pill Achieved Limited Extra Weight-Loss at Higher Doses

By Dominic Chopping

An experimental obesity pill being developed by Ozempic-maker Novo Nordisk showed only limited additional weight loss when taken in higher doses compared to the lowest dose tested in a mid-stage trial, the company said.

Shares fell on the news and traded 4.4% lower on the day in afternoon trade in Europe.

Monlunabant is a drug that targets receptors in the body that regulate food intake, among other things, and the company previously said its modeling suggested the pill could achieve around 15% weight loss.

Novo Nordisk acquired the drug as part of a deal last year to buy Canadian obesity, diabetes and metabolic disorder drug developer Inversago Pharma for up to $1.08 billion.

Phase 2a results announced Friday showed that after 16 weeks, patients lost around 7.1 kilograms from a baseline body weight of 110.1 kilograms on the lowest dose, on average, while higher doses only saw limited further weight loss.

The roughly 6.4% drop in body weight compares to a Phase 1 study earlier this year that showed the pill achieved weight loss of around 3.3% after 28 days.

The company's blockbuster Wegovy jab achieved around 6% weight loss after 12 weeks in a trial, while another of its experimental pills, Amycretin, showed weight loss of around 13% after 12 weeks, with the potential to achieve even more if taken for an extended period.

"The phase 2a results indicate the weight-lowering potential of Monlunabant and that further work is needed to determine the optimal dosing to balance safety and efficacy," said Martin Holst Lange, head of development at Novo Nordisk.

In the trial, the most common adverse effects were mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal issues, depending on dosage, while some mild to moderate anxiety, irritability, and sleep disturbances were also reported.

Based on the results, Novo Nordisk said it expects to initiate a larger Phase 2b trial to further investigate dosing and the safety profile of Monlunabant over a longer duration in a global population. The phase 2b trial is expected to be initiated in 2025.

Write to Dominic Chopping at dominic.chopping@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 20, 2024 10:16 ET (14:16 GMT)

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