Enicepatide

iStock, Larry Gibson The American Diabetes Association’s annual congress will feature a superstar lineup, including weight loss giants Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. But several scrappy biotechs will also present obesity candidates with the potential to match—if not outperform—their deep-pocketed competitors. This weekend, many of the world’s leading metabolic experts will flock to New Orleans to attend the 2026 American Diabetes Association’s Scientific Sessions. Recent editions of the meeting have unsurprisingly had a heavy focus on obesity . Weight loss has become one of the most lucrative areas across biopharma, with IQVIA forecasting $92 billion in sales of obesity medicines this year and up to $200 billion by 2027 and beyond. And last year, obesity unseated long-reigning oncology as the top contributor of pharma pipeline value, with weight-loss medications accounting for 25% of the overall pharma pipeline value. Obesity’s ascent has spilled over into conferences like ADA, where many of the most highly anticipated presentations focus on weight control. This is especially true for the 2026 edition of the congress, which features a superstar lineup of companies presenting new data on both approved and investigational drugs. These include readouts from undisputed weight loss leaders Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, as well as from other major pharmas looking to stake their claim in the sector. But ADA 2026 will also see some plucky biotechs stand up to these giants, bringing their own obesity candidates that could give these deep-pocketed counterparts a run for their money. Frontrunners face off with next-gen obesity bets All eyes at ADA will be on Lilly and Novo and their next-generation assets as they chart the way forward for the obesity space. Lilly will present data from the Phase 3 TRIUMPH-1 and TRANSCEND-T2D-1 studies of its triple-G agonist retatrutide in obesity and diabetes, respectively. Lilly has deemed retatrutide part of a “different drug category,” as compared with its current weight-loss drugs, Andy Hsieh, healthcare research analyst at William Blair, told BioSpace in an email. Hsieh expects the triple-G asset, “given its high potency,” to set itself apart from Lilly’s other obesity products—including the GLP-1/GIP dual agonist Zepbound and small-molecule drug Foundayo. Still, he anticipates that the debate around retatrutide will focus on the tradeoff between its weight loss efficacy and tolerability. Indeed, data that Lilly has disclosed so far demonstrate impressive weight reduction. Retatrutide generated 28.3% weight loss over 80 weeks in the Phase 3 TRIUMPH-1 study, Lilly announced on May 21, likening the results to those elicited by bariatric surgery. The trial assessed the candidate in patients with obesity but without diabetes. The Phase 3 TRIUMPH-4 study, reported in December, showed a 26.6% placebo-adjusted weight-loss at 68 weeks in patients who have obesity or are overweight with knee osteoarthritis, results BMO Capital Markets said at the time “help to solidify retatrutide’s pro an even higher efficacy next generation GLP-1+ asset.” But the drug’s safety pro tempered some of the industry’s excitement, with Lilly reporting a signal called dysesthesia—a neurological anomaly characterized by unpleasant or painful sensations—in more than a fifth of patients on the 20-mg dose of retatrutide in TRIUMPH-4. Dysesthesia also occurred in TRIUMPH-1, with rates rising with dose level. Obesity Lilly’s Retatrutide Scores Triple Trial Triumph With 26% Weight Loss, But New Safety Signal Emerges Analysts were hoping for a safety pro to what was achieved in Phase II but an abnormal sense of touch, called dysesthesia, has emerged in the late-stage TRIUMPH-4 trial. December 11, 2025 · 3 min read · Annalee Armstrong Read more Not to be outdone by its chief competitor, Novo is bringing its own next-generation weight-loss candidate, CagriSema, to ADA 2026. The drug is a fixed-dose combination of its GLP-1 giant semaglutide and long-acting amylin analog cagrilintide. While the pharma will give several presentations at the conference, William Blair believes investors will be more interested in CagriSema’s data in diabetes—outlined in the Phase 3 REIMAGINE 1, 2 and 3 studies—than in obesity after the asset “failed to demonstrate non-inferiority” versus Lilly’s Zepbound , according to a May 4 note. In February, data from Novo’s head-to-head REDEFINE-4 study showed that patients on CagriSema lost 23% of their body weight on average at 84 weeks, whereas comparators on Zepbound saw a 25.5% reduction in weight. Novo remains confident in CagriSema, however, and expects the drug to hit U.S. shelves next year. “When CagriSema will make it to the market early next year as the first amylin-based product, it will have the best weight loss label than any product marketed at that time,” CEO Maziar Mike Doustdar told investors and analysts at the time of the head-to-head readout. Behind the duopoly, Big Pharmas play for third With Lilly and Novo firmly in the lead, the rest of biopharma is looking to claim that coveted third place, with Boehringer Ingelheim, Roche and more hustling to get their candidates to the market. Many of these aspirants will be at ADA 2026. Based on timelines alone, Hsieh told BioSpace , Boehringer appears poised to win the race. Boehringer is working with Zealand Pharma on survodutide, a dual agonist of the GLP-1 and glucagon receptors, “designed to go beyond weight reduction by targeting pathways relevant to metabolic dysfunction and liver disease,” Vani Manja, global head of Obesity and Liver Health at the German pharma, told BioSpace in an email. With survodutide, Boehringer is shifting its focus “from weight loss to metabolic health, from single targets to multi‑pathway approaches, and from short‑term outcomes to more durable impact,” Manja said. At ADA, the company will present detailed data from the Phase 3 SYNCHRONIZE-1 study, a topline readout from which showed a 16.6% drop in weight at 76 weeks, as compared with 3.2% in placebo controls. These numbers “appear less competitive vs other dual target mechanisms,” such as Lilly’s tirzepatide, BMO said in an April 28 note. Still, survodutide could set itself apart from the current leaders by offering better quality weight loss, BMO added. Indeed, most of the weight reduction in SYNCHRONIZE-1 was due to fat loss. Lean mass accounted for “only a small proportion” of the total weight that participants lost, Zealand said at the time. William Blair expects to see more detailed data from SYNCHRONIZE-1 at ADA, particularly “additional color from survodutide’s impact on body composition and liver fat,” according to the firm’s May 4 note. These findings, in turn, could have readthroughs to other indications, such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASH), which survodutide is also targeting, the analysts continued. Another potential third-placer is Roche. The pharma in late 2023 invested $2.7 billion to acquire Carmot Therapeutics and its pipeline of GLP-1 therapies, including CT-388, which additionally activates the GIP receptor. Phase 2 data for the asset in January demonstrated a 22.5% placebo-adjusted weight reduction at 48 weeks, with no signs of plateauing. Earnings Roche Plans To Go Toe-to-Toe With Novo, Lilly in Obesity Roche aims to become a “top three player” in obesity, Teresa Graham, CEO of the group’s Pharma unit, said Thursday during a presentation of the company’s full-year 2025 earnings. January 29, 2026 · 2 min read Read more More detailed data from the trial will be presented at ADA, where William Blair will be keeping an eye out for detailed tolerability data, “given the relatively high doses being evaluated,” analysts said on May 4. So far, Roche has only said that CT-388’s safety is “generally consistent with the incretin class of medicines.” The firm also believes that investors will also be interested in learning about Roche’s plans to combine CT-388 with Zealand’s amylin therapy petrelintide. Roche signed an up to $5.3 billion partnership in March 2025 with the Danish biotech for the asset. Also gaining ground on the leaders is Amgen, which according to Hsieh is just a bit behind Boehringer in terms of timing. When it comes to weight-loss numbers, Amgen might “have a better chance of catching up to the duopoly,” he said. Anchoring Amgen’s weight-loss portfolio is MariTide, a bispecific antibody-peptide that targets both GLP-1 and GIP pathways. In November 2024, the pharma released Phase 2 data showing an up to 20% drop in body weight at 52 weeks—findings analysts found disappointing . Amgen is nevertheless standing by MariTide. During the company’s earnings call in April, Murdo Gordon, executive vice president of global commercial operations, said MariTide has the potential “to be the best monthly or less frequently dosed agent” in obesity. In addition to weight loss, Amgen is positioning MariTide as a medicine for adjacent indications, such as heart failure, obstructive sleep apnea and elevated liver fat. “We see the future of care as increasingly connected across obesity and cardiovascular disease as these conditions commonly coexist and can lead to serious outcomes or death, even though they are treatable,” Chief Medical Officer Paul Burton told BioSpace in an email. Amgen will be at ADA 2026 but will not be presenting MariTide data. Earnings Amgen positions MariTide as potential ‘best monthly’ obesity drug Amgen has launched a late-stage program to test the feasibility of switching patients from weekly GLP-1 injections to its own investigational obesity asset MariTide, which could open up monthly or more infrequent dosing schedules. May 1, 2026 · 2 min read · Tristan Manalac Read more Don’t discount the little guys Obesity isn’t just an opportunity for the big guys, of course, as many smaller biotechs are also advancing promising candidates. Structure Therapeutics is working on the GLP-1 pill aleniglipron, a potential competitor to Lilly’s Foundayo and Novo’s oral Wegovy . In December 2025, Structure released data from the Phase 2b ACCESS II study, showing that a 120-mg dose of aleniglipron resulted in an 11.3% placebo-adjusted weight reduction at 36 weeks—findings that BMO in a Dec. 8 note called “highly competitive.” Additional data in March showed that at the 44-week follow-up, average weight loss improved even further to 16.3% on a placebo-adjusted basis. Structure will show up at ADA with a detailed presentation of ACCESS II, as well as data from the dose-ranging ACCESS study . The biotech will also have posters looking at a lower starting dose of aleniglipron and a combination regimen of the candidate paired with an amylin asset. Viking Therapeutics is similarly looking to play alongside the industry giants with its dual GLP-1/GIP agonist VK2735 , which the biotech is advancing both as a subcutaneous injection and as a daily pill. In his email to BioSpace , Hsieh also named VK2735 as one of the obesity hopefuls likely to catch up to Lilly and Novo, with a chance to potentially overtake Boehringer. At the recently concluded European Congress on Obesity last month, Viking presented data from the Phase 2 VENTURE-Oral study, touting placebo-adjusted weight reduction of up to 10.9% for patients on oral VK2735 at 13 weeks. Meanwhile, the weekly subcutaneous injection hit weight loss of up to 13.1% on a placebo-adjusted basis at the same time point, according to Phase 2 data presented in November 2024. Viking has pushed subcutaneous VK2735 into late-stage development, while the oral formulation is scheduled to enter Phase 3 studies later this year.

Late-breaking Phase II data highlight enicepatide’s (CT-388) efficacy and safety, reinforcing its potential to deliver best-in-class weight loss across a broad population of people living with overweight or obesity Late-breaking data from the Phase II ZUPREME-1 trial showcase petrelintide’s efficacy, safety, and compelling tolerability profile, which has the potential to redefine the weight management experience for people living with overweight or obesity A Phase II multi-arm trial evaluating enicepatide and petrelintide fixed-dose combinations will be initiated towards mid-2026 to develop a differentiated treatment option SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROP; OTCQX: RHHBY), announced today that new data from its obesity portfolio will be presented at the 2026 Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association ® (ADA). The insights demonstrate significant progress in addressing a range of unmet needs for people living with obesity or overweight such as long-term treatment adherence, which could be supported by a favorable safety and tolerability profile. “The data we will present at ADA highlight the growing strength of our obesity portfolio, exemplified by the robust efficacy and distinct tolerability profiles of enicepatide and petrelintide,” said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. “The clinical insights from these studies demonstrate how our portfolio may offer more tailored, individualized treatment options for people living with obesity.” The data presented on Genentech’s obesity assets include: Enicepatide (CT-388): Late-breaking data from the Phase II (CT388-103) study will highlight clinical weight loss outcomes from investigational enicepatide in people living with overweight/obesity. The dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist is also being investigated in an additional Phase II study (CT388-104) to evaluate its efficacy, safety and tolerability in participants who are living with obesity or are overweight and have type 2 diabetes (T2D). These data suggest that enicepatide could emerge as an important medicine in its own right and also a key backbone for potential combination therapies from Genentech’s cardiometabolic pipeline. Petrelintide: Late-breaking data from the Phase II ZUPREME-1 trial highlight the efficacy and safety of petrelintide, an investigational human amylin analog being evaluated for weight management in people living with overweight and obesity. The ongoing Phase II petrelintide monotherapy trial, ZUPREME-2 is evaluating petrelintide versus placebo in people living with obesity or overweight and T2D. As monotherapy and in combination with enicepatide, petrelintide can become an important component of Genentech's portfolio. Genentech continues to advance its weight management pipeline rapidly, moving both enicepatide and petrelintide into Phase III development while initiating a Phase II multi-arm combination trial in mid-2026. Genentech is pleased to invite investors and analysts to participate in a virtual event on Monday, June 8, 2026, that will highlight the new data from the Phase II CT388-103 study of enicepatide, as well as from the Phase II ZUPREME-1 study of petrelintide. Additional details on presentations at the ADA’s Scientific Sessions are included below and the full abstracts will be available in Diabetes . Asset Title / Lead author Abstract / Presentation details Enicepatide (CT-388) CT-388, a cAMP Signal-Biased GLP-1/GIP Receptor Agonist, Achieves Clinically Meaningful Weight Loss in People With Overweight/Obesity: A 48-Week Phase 2 Study. Lingvay I, et al. Late Breaking Poster Session (2813-LB) Sunday, June 7 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm CT As above E-Theater presentation Monday, June 8 12:30 pm CT Petrelintide Amylin as a Novel Diabetes and Obesity Therapy. Garvey T, et al. Scientific Symposium Friday, June 5 3:45 pm - 5:15 pm CT Petrelintide, a human amylin analog for weight management: efficacy and safety from the Phase 2 trial, ZUPREME-1. Garvey T, et al. Late Breaking Poster Session (3083-LB) Sunday, June 7 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm CT (ePoster: Saturday, June 6 1:30 pm - 1:40 pm CT) Petrelintide elicits distinct effects on eating pattern and maintains locomotor activity compared to semaglutide in rats with diet-induced obesity. Gradel A, et al. Poster Presentation Monday, June 8 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm CT Long-acting amylin analog petrelintide does not delay gastric emptying. Griffin J, et al. Poster Presentation Monday, June 8 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm CT About Enicepatide (CT-388) Enicepatide is an investigational once-weekly subcutaneous injectable, dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist being developed for the treatment of people living with obesity and associated comorbidities including type 2 diabetes (T2D). Enicepatide was designed to have potent activity on both the GLP-1 and GIP receptors but with minimal to no beta-arrestin recruitment on either receptor. This biased signalling significantly minimizes receptor internalization and consequent desensitization, which is expected to lead to prolonged pharmacological activity. About Petrelintide Petrelintide is an investigational long-acting amylin analog suitable for once-weekly subcutaneous administration that has been designed with chemical and physical stability with no fibrillation around neutral pH, allowing for co-formulation and co-administration with other peptides. 1 Amylin is produced in the pancreatic beta cells and co-secreted with insulin in response to ingested nutrients. Amylin receptor activation has been shown to reduce body weight by restoring sensitivity to the satiety hormone leptin 2,3 inducing a sense of feeling full faster. About Obesity Obesity is recognized as the greatest single risk factor for chronic disease globally. The condition is associated with many health challenges and more than 200 comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, fatty liver, and chronic kidney disease. By 2035, over four billion people (more than half of the global population) are projected to be living with excess weight or obesity, a trend affecting nearly every country. This rise is driven by a complex mix of genetics and biology as well as behavioral, environmental and socioeconomic factors, placing an increased strain on healthcare systems due to the associated burden of comorbidities and reduced quality of life. About Genentech Founded 50 years ago, Genentech is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines to treat patients with serious and life-threatening medical conditions. The company, a member of the Roche Group, has headquarters in South San Francisco, California. For additional information about the company, please visit . References 1 Eriksson et al. Presentation at ObesityWeek, November 1–4, 2022, San Diego, CA. Link: . 2 Mathiesen et al. Eur J Endocrinol 2022;186(6):R93–R111 3 Roth et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008;105(20):7257–7262 Contacts Media Contact: Meghan Hindman (650) 467-6800 Advocacy Contact: Danielle Haney (240) 805-4810 Investor Contacts: Loren Kalm (650) 225-3217 Bruno Eschli +41 61 687 5284