Regeneron weight-loss drug halves muscle loss with Novo's semaglutide in trial
REGN•Regeneron's experimental drug trevogrumab, combined with Novo Nordisk's semaglutide, reduced muscle loss in patients with obesity: participants taking 75 mg lost 3.3% of lean muscle mass over 26 weeks, versus 6.7% with semaglutide alone.
1. Muscle loss findings
In a mid-stage trial, 75 mg of trevogrumab with semaglutide limited lean muscle mass loss to 3.3% over 26 weeks, compared with 6.7% for semaglutide alone. The 25-mg trevogrumab combination resulted in 4.7% loss. MRI measurements at 52 weeks showed the 75-mg dose preserved more than 70% of muscle mass loss compared with semaglutide alone.
2. Safety and next studies
Trevogrumab alone had a safety profile similar to semaglutide, with no unexpected side effects, Regeneron said. Two participants receiving higher doses of trevogrumab with another Regeneron drug, garetosmab, died during the first 26 weeks; the combination also had a high rate of adverse effects, including muscle spasms. Regeneron said it will not advance the triple combination and selected a once-weekly 75-mg trevogrumab dose for further studies, including a planned mid-stage trial in patients over 65.
