A new long-acting obesity medication may provide easier routes to weight loss, with weekly treatments comparable. In the second phase of clinical trial, experimental drugs Maridebart Cafraglutide– Also known as the Navy Layer – In obese and type 2 diabetes patients, only one-time weight loss is given only once a month.
“This is an interesting discovery,” said Dr. Ania Jastreboff, principal investigator and director of the Yale Center for Obesity Research. “Generally, in this class, we observed less weight loss in obesity and type 2 diabetes patients than in obesity alone. In this study, the difference was not as large as we usually observed.”
Dual action strategy
Maritide is a peptide-antibody binding agent that uniquely binds two mechanisms: it activates the GLP-1 receptor and blocks the GIP receptor. Both hormone pathways are involved in regulating appetite and glucose levels. This dual approach is believed to improve blood sugar control while enhancing weight loss through the central effect on the brain associated with hunger and fullness.
Results of Phase 2 Test
Randomized, placebo-controlled study included 592 adults: 465 individual obesity, obesity and type 2 diabetes all had 127. Participants received subcutaneous marine disease at various doses (placebo) or placebo over 52 weeks. Key findings include:
- Up to 16.2% weight loss In the obese group
- Up to 12.3% weight loss In the obesity-diabetic group
- Hemoglobin A1C decreases 1.2–1.6 percentage points for diabetes patients
Placebo recipients lost only 2.5% and 1.7% of their body weight in each group, highlighting the substantial effect of the drug. Importantly, more gradual dose escalation leads to fewer gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which are common in GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Effects on treatment and compliance
Most currently approved anti-obesity drugs, including Wegovy and Zepbough, are dosed weekly. Long-term selection can significantly improve patient compliance and outcomes.
“The ability to do it once a month may reduce the burden on patients and increase the effectiveness of the real world,” Jastreboff said. Her team is now leading a Phase 3 trial (Maritime-1) to further evaluate former maritime agents under clinical conditions.
Obesity affects more than 42% of American adults and is closely related to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. As next-generation drugs like Maritide move towards potential approval, they offer new hope to deal with one of the nation’s most pressing health challenges.
Magazine: New England Journal of Medicine
doi: 10.1056/nejmoa2504214
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