Dosing questions surround Novo Nordisk next-gen weight loss drug

CHICAGO — Novo Nordisk’s next-generation obesity injection targeting the amylin hormone showed substantial weight loss in an early study, but similar efficacy across different doses and high rates of side effects raise questions about which dose Novo will pursue going forward.

In the Phase 1/2 study testing the drug, called amycretin, patients on the highest dose of 60 mg lost on average 24.3% of their weight at 36 weeks, while those on placebo lost 1.1%, according to results published Friday in the Lancet that will also be presented at the American Diabetes Association conference. Those results suggest amycretin could be more effective than other drugs on the market.

In another part of the study testing 20-mg, 5-mg, and 1.25-mg doses of amycretin, patients also experienced substantial weight loss, but with overlapping weight-loss curves. The finding is unusual since researchers typically expect a dose-dependent effect, where patients on higher doses lose more weight faster.