A single shot once a month could soon rival weekly GLP-1 drugs: biotech giant Amgen has unveiled Phase 2 results for maridebart cafraglutide (MariTide), showing an average 20 % weight-loss over 52 weeks among 592 adults with obesity. The study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Diabetes Association meeting, tracked participants after they stopped dosing; three months later, weight regain was minimal, suggesting a durable metabolic reset.

MariTide is a dual agonist that modulates GLP-1 and appetite receptors to curb hunger while improving insulin sensitivity. Gastro-intestinal side effects—nausea, vomiting, constipation—were mostly mild and waned after dose-titration. Amgen’s new MARITIME Phase 3 programme will test the drug in 4,500 volunteers, including cohorts with cardiovascular disease and sleep apnoea. If monthly dosing proves equally effective, clinicians say adherence rates could surpass existing weekly injectables such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, reshaping the $100-billion anti-obesity market. Analysts forecast first regulatory filings in late 2027, though payers will scrutinise long-term safety and cost-effectiveness.