One of the drawbacks of taking newer anti-obesity drugs is that patients tend to lose lean muscle mass along with body fat. What this means for patients in the long term is not fully known, but several drug companies are studying the side effects and hoping to develop treatments that might control symptoms. In the best-case scenario, these experimental drugs, when used in conjunction with so-called incretin therapies such as Ozempic and Munjaro, may not only prevent muscle loss but also promote fat loss. “It’s becoming increasingly clear that there is room for improvement, at least with the current agents,” Piper Sandler analyst Alison Bratzel said in an interview. “This is a major drawback, not just in terms of quality of life, for patients who need to lose lean muscle mass, but the reality is that there is room for improvement in weight loss. [are] Other metabolic benefits for improving lean muscle mass… [including] “Three companies are working in this space: Biohaven, Regeneron, and Scholar Rock. Versanis Bio, a clinical-stage biotechnology that Eli Lilly acquired this summer, is also active in this space,” Bratzel said. The obesity drug market is expected to be large and lucrative, with several Wall Street firms predicting annual sales could reach more than $100 billion by the end of 2010. . Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, or semaglutide, mimics stomach hormones such as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) to control insulin and calm symptoms. Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro adds a second incretin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP). This drug on average helps the patient reduce her 15% to 20% of body weight. However, if the patient stops taking the drug, the weight may come back. “When someone loses weight, they always lose fat tissue. [body fat,] “But you’ll also lose some skeletal muscle mass,” says Dr. Lydia Alexander, president-elect of the Obesity Medicine Society. “How much of that happens really depends on the quality of your nutrition,” she says. continued. “It depends on how much you move your body, because it sends a signal to your body that that muscle is actually very needed and shouldn’t be broken down.” Patients also need to know how much lean body mass they have. You need to monitor what is being lost, which can impair your metabolism, movement, and balance. This is especially important for those over the age of 65, as lean muscle is naturally lost with age. Piper Sandler’s Bratzel on Drug Pipeline This week, Scholar Rock is a mid- and small-cap stock after the company revealed plans to develop SRK-439, an anti-myostatin antibody used to treat obesity. He reiterated his overweight rating, calling it a “top” stock. Scalar Rock already has expertise in targeting various forms of myostatin, a protein thought to limit muscle growth and be involved in inducing muscle wasting. The company is developing a treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disease that causes muscles to gradually weaken. Bratzel said he expects Scolar’s approach has enough potential to achieve a “best-in-class safety profile.” The recent public offering gives the company a runway to raise funds until the second half of 2025, analysts said. By then, Scholar Rock may have proof-of-concept data for the use of his SRK-439 in treating obesity. Last Tuesday, Bratzel raised his price target by $2 to $28 per share. This is about 266% above Scholler Rock’s closing price on Friday. And that valuation doesn’t take into account the potential benefits of partnering with big drug companies. Scalar’s stock price has fallen 15% since the beginning of the year, giving it a market value of $530 million. Bratzel’s price target is slightly higher than the average price target of $22, and 88% of analysts rate it a buy or overweight, according to FactSet. SRRK YTD Mountain Scholar Rock stock has fallen more than 17% since the beginning of the year. Bratzel said Lilly’s acquisition of Versanis supports the idea that these drugs could someday be combined with incretins. Versanis’ lead drug candidate is bimagrumab, a monoclonal antibody that binds to activin type II A and B receptors and blocks activin and myostatin signaling. The drug is being tested in a Phase 2B trial alongside semaglutide to prevent muscle loss. Meanwhile, Biohaven is working on developing a myostatin inhibitor licensed from Bristol-Myers Squibb. The drug, known as Tardef Globep His Alpha, was once thought to be a potential treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The compound had no effect on that disease, but it causes muscle growth and may be helpful in metabolic diseases. Protein Supplementation Even if these studies are successful, it will be years before patients taking anti-obesity drugs can use these drugs. Until then, patients need to watch what they eat and focus on exercise, just like they would with any weight loss plan. Eating extra protein and strength training are key to stopping muscle and bone density loss. On Thursday, Nestlé announced plans to sell protein-rich products to help people taking GLP-1 drugs. “We believe we can make an important contribution,” Nestlé CEO Wolf Mark Schneider said during an earnings call. “We already have a number of companion products in development for the duration and beyond that patients spend on these drugs.The goal is to address the risks of malnutrition and loss of lean muscle mass during GLP-1 therapy. and avoid or limit weight rebound after treatment,” he said. “These innovations are in our wheelhouse, allowing us to bring a deep understanding of nutritional science and the right supplements to the table,” said Jeff Jonas, portfolio manager at Gabelli Funds, which owns Nestlé stock. He said he has seen a recent decline in food stocks. Although Nestlé’s comments are an attempt to offset some of the “short-term pressures”, he expects this could turn into an opportunity for the Swiss food company over time. “The way this drug works is that it slows down not only your appetite, but also the process by which food is processed in your stomach and digestive system. So protein shakes are a good way to get protein without affecting that area. It could be ‘drugs,”’ Jonas said. Stephens’ decision Friday to name Simply Good Foods its “best idea” reflects this trend. As part of a broader decline in food stocks, the stock has fallen 14% since the beginning of the year and is trading near a 52-week low. Analyst Jim Sarella said the company is “in an attractive position” with its Atkins and Quest brands, which sell low-carbohydrate snacks and meals, and believes it could become an acquisition target for a major food company. are doing. SMPL 3M Mountain’s Simply Good Foods stock is trading near its 52-week low. “As it relates to GLP-1 drugs, which are a hot topic these days, SMPL is investing because its products have a high protein concentration and if GLP-1 becomes widely available, it will be a convenient method for consumers. We believe this provides some immunity from this headline risk for families to make sure they are getting the right amount of protein. ” That can become an even bigger problem over time. Patients currently taking GLP-1 drugs are skewed more male than the broader obese population, according to a study by Morgan Stanley. They are also younger, have higher incomes, and have a higher BMI than the average obese person. “We believe this is due to differences in access, education/awareness, affordability, and health insurance coverage among early adopters of currently available weight loss drugs,” Morgan Stanley analysts wrote. “In many cases, this does not reflect the general obese population,” Morgan Stanley analysts wrote. In a research report. “As weight loss drugs become more widely adopted/understood, more affordable, and covered by health insurance plans, the profile of these drug users will become more accurately reflective of the general obese population. expected,” the researchers said. If that happens, muscle loss will become an even bigger problem than it is now. —CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
GLP-1 drugs can shrink muscle mass. These stocks are trying to stop it
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