Can Monthly Dosing With Novel GLP-1 Maintain Weight Loss?

Patients using the investigational GLP-1 agonist berobenatide maintained weight loss when transitioning from weekly to monthly dosing, according to phase II VESPER program data presented at the American Diabetes Association annual meeting. John Buse, MD, PhD, reported that a 2.4 mg weekly dose achieved 16% weight loss at 32 weeks.

How does berobenatide affect weight loss?

Berobenatide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist designed to provide weight loss similar in magnitude to current therapies for obesity and overweight. According to Dr. Buse of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill, the 2.4 mg weekly dose demonstrated 16% weight loss over 32 weeks.

The drug’s efficacy targets focus on the proportion of patients who can achieve 10% or 15% weight loss. Dr. Buse noted that the vast majority of people with obesity would see outstanding benefits from a 15% reduction in weight.

Did You Know? There are approximately one billion people worldwide living with obesity, and an even larger number who are overweight.

Can GLP-1 therapy be administered monthly?

Data from the VESPER-1 phase II study suggest that patients can transition from weekly to monthly dosing without losing their weight loss trajectory. Dr. Buse stated that the benefits of monthly dosing appeared similar and “on track” compared to weekly administration.

Meet Dr. John Buse: Endocrinologist

Gastrointestinal (GI) tolerability remained favorable during this transition. While there was a “small blip” in nausea and other GI adverse events during the shift to monthly doses, no severe GI events were reported.

Expert Insight: Samantha Carter notes that the focus on tolerability is a strategic necessity. Because patients who struggle with medication side effects rarely continue treatment or reach the highest effective doses, a tolerable titration process is essential for maximizing long-term weight loss outcomes.

What happens next in the berobenatide program?

The drug is likely to move into a phase III program using the doses examined in the phase II data. Specifically, the 2.4 mg weekly dose could translate into a 9.6 mg monthly dose, maintaining the same total monthly exposure.

Researchers may focus on a tolerable program of titration and advancing doses. This approach is intended to help more patients reach the highest doses necessary for significant weight loss.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is berobenatide?
It is an ultra-long-acting investigational GLP-1 receptor agonist being developed for the treatment of overweight and obesity.

What weight loss results were seen in the study?
Patients receiving a 2.4 mg weekly dose of berobenatide showed 16% weight loss at 32 weeks.

Are there side effects associated with the monthly dose?
According to the data, there were no severe GI events, though some patients experienced a small increase in nausea and other GI adverse events when transitioning from weekly to monthly dosing.

Would a monthly injection schedule make you more likely to stick with a weight loss medication?