Genentech, part of the Roche Group, has announced positive topline results from two arms of an ongoing Phase I clinical trial for CT-996, an investigational oral GLP-1 receptor agonist. The trial revealed that participants with obesity, who did not have type 2 diabetes, experienced a significant placebo-adjusted mean weight loss of -6.1% within just four weeks. These results indicate the potential of CT-996 in addressing both chronic weight management and glycemic control. Full study data will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting.
Obesity is a critical global health issue, linked with comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and chronic kidney disease. By 2035, over four billion people, or about 50% of the world's population, are projected to be impacted by obesity or be overweight. Genentech’s Chief Medical Officer, Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., emphasized the importance of these findings, noting that CT-996 could become a vital therapy in managing weight and glycemic control, following positive results from another drug in their metabolic pipeline, CT-388, within the last three months.
The trial demonstrated that CT-996 was well tolerated, with mostly mild to moderate gastrointestinal-related side effects, consistent with the incretin drug class. Importantly, there were no study drug-related discontinuations. Blood levels of CT-996 remained stable during fasting and after a high-fat meal, suggesting it can be dosed flexibly without regard to meals. Given these findings, CT-996 is anticipated to be used not only for achieving glycemic control and weight loss but also potentially for maintaining weight post-loss induced by injectables. Despite numerous treatments, obesity and its comorbidities remain underdiagnosed and undertreated, highlighting the need for effective therapies like CT-996 to prevent related complications.
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