Amgen’s obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) hopeful, MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide), has demonstrated its once-quarterly dosing potential in a mid-stage trial, CEO, Robert Bradshaw said.
At a presentation during the first day of the 2026 J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, Bradshaw shared updates from two of Amgen’s Phase II clinical trials involving MariTide in both chronic weight management and T2D, respectively (NCT05669599 and NCT06660173).
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During the second part of the mid-stage trial in obesity, MariTide demonstrated strong efficacy on a monthly dosing schedule, while also exhibiting its potential when administered quarterly.
In this study, the bispecific glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) agonist proved efficacious when used as a maintenance therapy, both when administered monthly and with less frequent dosing patterns.
Alongside the positive results in obesity, the Phase II study on MariTide in T2D saw patients on a once-monthly dosing schedule experience a clinically meaningful reduction in both haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels and body weight after 24 weeks.
Patients in the MariTide arm of this trial also experienced favourable improvements in cardiometabolic parameters on a monthly dosing schedule, which Bradshaw noted could signify the drug’s potential as the first once-monthly treatment for T2D.
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By GlobalDataMariTide’s safety and tolerability profile was also consistent with the GLP-1RA class, with most treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) being mild-to-moderate and gastrointestinal in nature.
Amgen is now conducting six global Phase III studies involving MariTide. The pharma is also preparing to evaluate the therapy in a late-stage trial in T2D.
Amgen bullish on MariTide’s market potential
During the presentation, Bradshaw touted MariTide’s future potential in the cardiometabolic sector, noting that the company’s confidence in the drug is continuing to build as other incretin therapies contend with high dosing frequency and TEAE-induced treatment discontinuations.
According to Bradshaw, MariTide’s differentiated dosing profile over currently marketed injectable GLP-1RAs, as well as its long-term maintenance potential, could offer a “compelling combination” for payers, prescribers and patients, while representing a new paradigm for the treatment of obesity, T2D and obesity-related conditions.
Despite MariTide’s promising activity, Amgen will experience strong competition in the obesity and T2D indications, as both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly’s respective injectable therapies have experienced significant market uptake.
However, a new type of competition has emerged in the obesity sector, as Novo Nordisk recently made history by becoming the first company to gain approval for a GLP-1RA pill. In a presentation at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference 2026, the company’s CEO, Mike Doustdar, noted that oral weight loss therapies could make up 33% of the weight loss market by 2030.
Lilly is also hot on Novo Nordisk’s heels as it looks to enter the newly established oral GLP-1 space. In an interview with Bloomberg, also at J.P. Morgan’s Healthcare Conference 2026, the pharma’s chief financial officer (CFO), Lucas Montarce, noted that its weight loss pill, orforglipron, is set to obtain US approval in Q2 2026.
GlobalData, parent company of Clinical Trials Arena, currently forecasts that the obesity market will reach $173.5bn in sales throughout the seven major markets (7MM: the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and Japan) by 2031.
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