PRISM Weight Loss Index and Obesity Week Conference Highlights

According to a 2022 statistic reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), about 1 in 8 people were living with obesity. Since 1990, worldwide adult obesity has more than doubled as adolescent obesity has quadrupled.

Obesity is a complex, chronic and widespread disease that can lead to type-2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, and stroke. Beyond physical health, obesity can impact mental health, contributing to issues like depression and low self-esteem due to social stigma and reduced mobility. In addition, obesity places a strain on healthcare systems worldwide, with costs rising as obesity rates continue to grow globally.

As weight loss and the fight against obesity continues to be of focus, GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) medications have recently emerged as groundbreaking tools in the fight against obesity and related metabolic conditions. Originally developed to help manage type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 receptor agonists work by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone, which regulates blood sugar levels, slows digestion, and reduces appetite. These effects have shown impressive results in promoting weight loss, leading to a surge in demand and a shift in focus toward weight management. Medications like semaglutide (sold as Ozempic, Wegovy) and liraglutide (Saxenda) are now commonly prescribed for weight loss in individuals with obesity or overweight-related health issues.

Earlier this month, The Obesity Society hosted its ObesityWeek Conference in San Antonio, TX. The conference is known for providing the latest developments in evidence-based obesity science: cutting-edge basic and clinical research, state-of-the-art obesity treatment and prevention, and the latest efforts in advocacy and public policy.

PRISM MarketView examines multiple companies included in the PRISM Weight Loss Index who attended the conference and highlights some key takeaways below:

Fractyl Health, Inc.  

Fractyl Health (GUTS) is a metabolic therapeutics company pioneering innovative treatments that address the root causes of metabolic diseases, including obesity and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). The company’s flagship technology, Revita, is an endoscopic procedure designed to resurface the duodenal lining, improving metabolic function and offering a potential long-term solution for weight loss and blood glucose management.

Fractyl Health, Inc. presented promising data on its procedure, Duodenal Mucosal Resurfacing (DMR), at ObesityWeek 2024. The study analyzed pooled data from five clinical trials involving 118 patients, who were followed for 48 weeks after undergoing the Revita procedure. The participants, predominantly with hard-to-treat obesity and T2D, demonstrated substantial weight loss, with 90% losing weight within one month and 84% maintaining that weight loss for a year without additional diet or lifestyle changes.

Revita, an outpatient endoscopic procedure that resurfaces the duodenal lining to restore metabolic function, shows promise as a long-term weight maintenance option that may circumvent the need for continuous GLP-1 drug use. The FDA’s Breakthrough Device designation for Revita highlights its potential for patients discontinuing GLP-1 therapies, with pivotal trial results expected later this year.

Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc.

Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc. (CRPB) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformative therapies for oncology and obesity. The company’s lead obesity candidate, CRB-913, is a novel CB1 inverse agonist designed to target peripheral fat metabolism while minimizing central nervous system effects, offering potential for sustained weight management.

Corbus presented promising preclinical data on CRB-913, a highly peripherally restricted CB1 inverse agonist, at Obesity Week 2024. Key findings highlighted CRB-913’s unique properties, including significantly lower brain levels compared to other CB1 inverse agonists and a strong plasma-to-brain ratio, indicating its peripheral action. In diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice, CRB-913 demonstrated substantial, dose-dependent weight loss, achieving up to 38% weight reduction over 28 days. Notably, when switched from semaglutide to CRB-913, DIO mice maintained or increased weight loss, driven by enhanced fat reduction, underscoring its potential as a maintenance therapy following incretin analog treatment. Corbus plans to initiate a Phase 1 clinical study for CRB-913 in Q1 2025, exploring its use as a monotherapy, combination therapy, and maintenance treatment in obesity management.

Allurion Technologies, Inc

Medical device company, Allurion Technologies (ALUR) is committed to addressing obesity through innovative weight loss solutions. Their flagship offering, the Allurion Program, features the Allurion Balloon—the world’s first swallowable, procedure-less intragastric balloon designed for weight loss. This program is complemented by the Allurion Virtual Care Suite, which includes AI-powered remote patient monitoring tools, a proprietary behavior change program, secure messaging, and video telehealth services.

Allurion presented two significant studies at Obesity Week 2024, hosted by The Obesity Society. The first study, Allurion’s largest real-world dataset to date, includes 19,428 patients across 72 countries treated with the Allurion Program between 2018 and 2023. Data tracked through the Allurion Virtual Care Suite revealed an average weight loss of 12.2% after four months, demonstrating consistent and substantial outcomes.

The second study examined 27 patients who previously saw limited success with GLP-1 medication, a common obesity treatment. With Allurion’s Program, these patients achieved an average weight loss of 17.6% in four months.

Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (RYTM) is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming the lives of patients with rare genetic disorders that affect the MC4R pathway, leading to severe obesity and hyperphagia. Rhythm’s lead product, IMCIVREE® (setmelanotide), is an FDA-approved MC4R agonist designed for chronic weight management in patients with specific genetic obesity conditions. The company is also advancing clinical programs for other rare neuroendocrine diseases and genetic variants.

Rhythm  presented new real-world data at ObesityWeek 2024 demonstrating the efficacy of setmelanotide in reducing hunger scores and BMI among adult patients in France with acquired hypothalamic obesity, a challenging condition with limited treatment options. Setmelanotide led to clinically significant BMI reductions in patients unresponsive to other treatments, aligning with Phase 2 trial data and reinforcing its potential for long-term weight management. The global Phase 3 trial results are anticipated in early 2025. Rhythm also shared findings from the DAYBREAK trial, exploring setmelanotide’s impact on rare genetic conditions, identifying potential gene targets in the MC4R pathway. Additionally, the VENTURE trial showed that setmelanotide achieved a 23.3% BMI reduction in young children with MC4R pathway-associated severe obesity. Genetic testing through Rhythm’s URO program also demonstrated that 7.39% of individuals tested had variants associated with rare forms of obesity. Setmelanotide, FDA-approved for specific monogenic obesity types, continues to show promise in treating genetically linked and syndromic obesity.

Other presenting companies included in the PRISM Weight Loss Index can be found below:

Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX) – Obesity Week Presentation Release

Veru Inc. (VERU) – Obesity Week Presentation Release