Roche Obesity Drug Achieves 22.7% Weight Loss in Mid-Stage Trial

• Enicepatide showed faster results than competitors: 22.7% weight loss in 48 weeks versus Wegovy's 15% in 68 weeks, though slightly below Zepbound's 25.5%
• The Phase 2 study tested 469 adults across five doses (4-24 mg), showing clear dose-response relationship with no weight loss plateau at week 48
• Treatment discontinuations due to adverse events were 5.9% for enicepatide versus 1.3% for placebo, with most gastrointestinal side effects being mild to moderate

Roche Obesity Drug Achieves 22.7% Weight Loss in Mid-Stage Trial

Roche announced Friday that its experimental obesity drug enicepatide achieved 22.7% weight loss in patients during a Phase 2 trial, with 26% of patients receiving the highest dose losing at least 30% of their body weight. The results were achieved after just 48 weeks of treatment.

Trial Details:

The study tested enicepatide in 469 adults with overweight or obesity across five doses (4-24 mg) versus placebo. The drug is a once-weekly injection that mimics both GLP-1 and GIP hormones, similar to Eli Lilly's Zepbound. Treatment discontinuations due to adverse events reached 5.9% for enicepatide patients compared to 1.3% for placebo, with most gastrointestinal side effects being mild to moderate.

Competitive Landscape:

Roche joins AstraZeneca and Amgen in challenging market leaders Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly in the obesity treatment space, which analysts project could reach $150 billion in the next decade. Comparatively, Novo's Wegovy produced approximately 15% weight loss after 68 weeks, while Lilly's Zepbound achieved 25.5% weight loss in recent trials.

Key Findings:

• Weight-loss trajectory showed "no hint of plateau" at week 48, suggesting potential for continued weight reduction
• Clear dose-response relationship observed
• Over half of obese patients receiving doses above 8 mg moved below the obesity threshold (BMI of 30) by week 48

The results were presented at the American Diabetes Association meeting in New Orleans. Roche's head of cardiovascular development indicated that data suggests patients could continue losing weight beyond the study period.