Metsera Amylin Drug: Phase 1 Obesity Trial Results
Metsera‘s amylin drug, MET-233i, is making headlines after Phase 1 obesity trial results revealed an average 8.4% weight loss, a significant breakthrough for the primary_keyword. The innovative approach focuses on the hormone amylin, offering a potential edge over competitors. this secondary_keyword could be a game-changer due to the extended half-life of the drug, allowing for potentially less frequent monthly dosing, a distinct advantage. News Directory 3 reports on the groundbreaking findings, highlighting the impressive efficacy and tolerability of the treatment. With this cutting-edge technology, Metsera is poised to revolutionize metabolic solutions. Discover what’s next in the ongoing trials and future developments.
Metsera obesity drug shows promise with less frequent dosing
Metsera,a New York-based biotech firm,is making waves with its experimental obesity drug,MET-233i.Early clinical trial results indicate an average 8.4% weight loss among participants. This positions Metsera as a strong contender in the competitive landscape of companies targeting metabolic solutions, notably with the potential for less frequent doses.
MET-233i is engineered to mimic amylin, a hormone that, like GLP-1, plays a key role in regulating both blood sugar and appetite. Metsera utilized a unique technology to extend the drug’s duration in the body.
The reported 8.4% weight loss stemmed from the highest dose (1.2 mg) administered weekly for five weeks during a Phase 1 study. the study involved two parts,each with 40 participants. In the single-ascending dose portion,the same 1.2 mg dose resulted in an average 3.8% body weight reduction, sustained for five weeks.
The company reports that MET-233i has a 19-day half-life, potentially allowing for once-monthly dosing. This could be a significant advantage over existing once-weekly GLP-1 drugs and othre amylin drugs in development by companies like Novo Nordisk, Roche, and AbbVie.
Common side effects of metabolic medicines include gastrointestinal issues. Metsera reported that participants in the Phase 1 study experienced mild, dose-dependent nausea and diarrhea, primarily during the first week, suggesting a rapid development of tolerance.
Metsera anticipates that patients will begin with lower doses to minimize side effects, gradually increasing to the full dose. Phase 1 results showed that lower doses had side effects comparable to a placebo. This titration approach is being evaluated in an ongoing Phase 1 monotherapy study,involving 12 weekly doses followed by a monthly dose at week 13. Preliminary data is expected later in 2025.
“We observed five-week body weight loss comparable to that of leading GLP-1-based medicines, and we identified efficacious starting doses with placebo-like tolerability,” Metsera Chief Medical Officer Steve Marso said. “These data position MET-233i as a potential best-in-class amylin and support a category-leading profile in combination with MET-097i.”
Metsera’s HALO (Half-Life optimization by Lipid Optimization) platform enables its drugs to achieve longer dosing intervals.This technology allows a peptide to simultaneously bind to its target and to albumin, a blood protein. This binding extends the drug’s half-life, approaching that of albumin, which is about three weeks.
Metsera is also applying HALO to MET-097i, a GLP-1 drug candidate currently in Phase 2b testing. A 12-week Phase 1 study is underway to evaluate the combination of MET-097i with metsera’s amylin drug candidate. Preliminary data are expected by early 2026.
Another long-acting drug, MET-034i, is being developed to target the GIP receptor.Metsera plans to advance this drug to clinical trials in combination with its GLP-1 drug candidate. This combination could compete with Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, but with the potential for less frequent dosing.
What’s next
Metsera expects to release preliminary data on its GLP-1 and GIP receptor-targeting drug combination in late 2025