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Obesity Drug Trial Hits Snag: High Dropout Rates Emerge
8 Jun
Summary
- Survodutide trial shows high patient dropout rates due to side effects.
- Liver disease patients showed significant liver fat reduction.
- Drugmaker's partner is investigating ways to improve drug tolerability.
Zealand Pharma's stock experienced a sharp decline following the release of late-stage trial data for its obesity drug, survodutide. The injectable medication, developed in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim, showed that approximately 25% of patients on the highest 6-milligram dose ceased treatment due to adverse effects, with gastrointestinal problems being a primary reason. This dropout rate is significantly higher than those reported for competing drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound.
However, the trial data also presented a potential positive outcome for patients with liver disease. A substantial portion of these patients observed at least a 30% reduction in liver fat after 48 weeks. Despite this promising signal, tolerability issues were also noted among this group, prompting further investigation.
Boehringer Ingelheim is initiating additional studies to address the drug's tolerability. These studies will focus on optimal patient onboarding, dose adjustments, and strategies for switching patients from other GLP-1 drugs, all with the aim of mitigating side effects and improving the patient experience.
