AstraZeneca (AZ; NASDAQ: AZN), a UK-based pharmaceutical giant, has outlined its strategic advancements and future roadmap in the anti-obesity sector during its Q2 2024 earnings conference call. The company’s foray into this domain was initiated through a partnership with Amylin Pharmaceuticals, which AZ joined by acquiring it for $3.5 billion from Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) after BMS’s acquisition of Amylin in 2012. AZ further expanded its portfolio with the global rights to Eccogene Inc’s GLP-1 receptor agonist, ECC5004, in a deal valued up to $2 billion, signed in November 2023.
During the Q2’24 investor call, AZ executives addressed the potential impact of the Eccogene and Amylin pipelines amidst intensifying competition. AZD5004, the orally bioavailable GLP-1 receptor agonist from Eccogene, is slated for once-daily dosing, with Phase I data to be presented later this year and two Phase IIb trials in obesity and diabetes planned. Despite the competitive landscape, AZ maintains confidence in AZD5004, as stated by Sharon Barr, Head of BioPharmaceuticals Research and Development at AZ, noting that it is not their sole focus in weight management.
AZ is also increasingly confident in Amylin’s non-incretin (non-GLP) targeted products, which target diabetes and weight loss through a distinct mechanism. These products are designed to replace amylin, a peptide hormone co-secreted with insulin, which is deficient in diabetic individuals and promotes satiety while protecting lean muscle mass. AZD6234, a long-acting amylin agonist, is the lead candidate from Amylin, with positive Phase I data to be shared at upcoming industry meetings.
AZ’s CEO, Pascal Soriot, emphasized a multi-pronged approach, targeting the anti-obesity market while also focusing on cardiac, renal, and metabolic indications. This strategy largely revolves around combining AZD5004 and AZD6234 with other products like the oral PCSK9 inhibitor Farxiga (dapagliflozin), which is approved for treating chronic kidney disease and heart failure. Ruud Dobber, President of BioPharmaceuticals, highlighted the synergistic effects of GLP-1 and PCSK9 mechanisms in protecting the heart, kidney, and pancreas, noting the high comorbidity rates among the obese population.
Soriot reiterated AZ’s commitment to the Eccogene-supplied GLP-1 AZD5004 and weight management, detailing a segmented approach to Phase II and III trials. The trials will target weight management for individuals with BMI below 28-30, the severely obese with higher BMIs requiring higher doses and combinations for improved weight loss quality, and standard diabetes treatment using the GLP-1 pipeline. Phase II trials for this comprehensive strategy are set to commence shortly, with Phase III trials already in planning.- Flcube.com
