Pfizer's recently acquired company, Metsera, announced positive results from two Phase IIb weight-loss studies, VESPER-1 and VESPER-13, for MET-097i, a first-in-class, fully biased, ultra-long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist with the potential for monthly injection. The VESPER-1 study evaluated weekly injections of MET-097i without titration over 28 weeks, while the ongoing VESPER-3 study is assessing multiple monthly dosing strategies. In VESPER-1, the 1.2 mg dose group achieved a placebo-adjusted mean weight reduction of 14.1%, with a maximum individual reduction of 26.5%.

MET-097i demonstrated a potentially best-in-class tolerability profile in both studies, with side effects comparable to existing drugs that require titration. The incidence of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea was dose-dependent. Based on these results, Metsera believes MET-097i could match or exceed the performance of 15 mg tirzepatide at steady state and plans to initiate Phase III clinical trials before the end of the year.

According to PharmCube's NextBiopharm® database, Pfizer currently has 15 obesity candidates in clinical development, with GLP-1R as the second-most investigated target. Click here to request a free trial for NextBiopharm®.