The first detailed look at data on Amgen Inc.’s obesity drug offers a promising glimpse into the future of weight-loss treatment.
How promising? Sure, it’s early days, but that hasn’t stopped investors from talking up its blockbuster potential. They may turn out to be right.
The weight loss industry has undergone a sea change in recent years. Treatments such as Novo Nordisk A/S’s Wegovy, approved in 2021, and Eli Lilly & Co.’s tirzepatide, likely to be approved next year, are allowing people to shed many more pounds than any of the options that came before them. Tirzepatide induced an average 20% reduction in body weight in its Phase 3 study — an amount that starts to put it in a category that compares to bariatric surgery.