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Roche drops obesity antibody after flunked interim analysis
fiercebiotech.com • • business
Key Points:
- Roche has discontinued development of the obesity antibody emugrobart after a phase 2 trial showed it was unlikely to meet its endpoints, returning the drug to its Japanese subsidiary Chugai.
- Emugrobart, designed to block myostatin and help patients retain muscle while losing weight, failed to boost muscle growth in trials for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD).
- Roche's Genentech previously halted development of emugrobart for SMA and FSHD after it did not consistently improve muscle growth and function in those patient populations.
- Muscle loss is a common side effect of weight loss drugs like tirzepatide and semaglutide, fueling competition among biotechs including AstraZeneca, Biohaven, and Wave Life Sciences to develop treatments that preserve muscle during weight loss.
- Chugai plans to reassess emugrobart’s potential in SMA and is preparing to resume development and explore out-licensing opportunities with third parties based on the drug’s safety and efficacy data.
