At the same time a daily tablet of an advanced obesity medicine is capturing much attention, two new monthly obesity medicines are advancing.

The first, Maritide, is something we’ve been following for a while now. Amgen provided an update yesterday with their latest quarterly briefing on business results.

The second is the fruit of a bidding war Pfizer won against Novo Nordisk for Metsera – a company with a whole portfolio of potential obesity medicines. Pfizer announced phase two (mid-stage) clinical trial results with a monthly injection they’re now calling PF’3944 for now. Metsera called it MET-097i.

Progressing Nicely

In short, both of these drugs are progressing. Both still seem to have good potential. PF’3944 looks like it might work as well as weekly tirzepatide, but with a monthly dosing regimen.

Maritide is progressing well enough to justify the initiation of a robust global program of six phase three clinical trials. But even more interesting is the suggestion that Maritide might work for maintenance with dosing only four times per year.

Potential to Overcome a Disconnect

We view the possibility of monthly or even less frequent dosing for obesity medicines as important for a very simple reason. It holds promise to overcome a disconnect in the dominant thinking about obesity in popular culture. Obesity is a chronic disease. But popular culture views it as an acute problem that weight loss solves.

As anyone who has lived with obesity for a lifetime can tell you, this is a big lie. Without ongoing care, the weight almost always comes back. Nonetheless, many people reflexively resist the need for continuing treatment.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Maybe a simple daily tablet will solve that disconnect, making maintenance therapy for obesity feel more acceptable for some people. Like taking a daily vitamin.

However, it may well be that occasional dosing with one of these new monthly or quarterly medicines will turn out to meet the needs of many other people. Experience with consumer marketing tells us that one size or one regimen never fits for everyone.

And thus we take heart in seeing two monthly obesity medicines advance in clinical trials.

Click here for the press release from Pfizer and here for further perspective. You can find more of the latest news on MariTide in this presentation from Amgen.

Two Dancers, painting by Edgar Degas / Wikimedia Commons