ALT Stock Alert: Altimmune Pops on Weight-Loss Drug Findings

Core Viewpoint - Altimmune's stock surged approximately 28% following the release of positive results from a 48-week study of its GLP-1 weight-loss drug, pemvidutide, which demonstrated a lower loss of lean mass compared to competing treatments [1][2]. Company Summary - The Phase 2 trial involved 391 participants, with only 21.9% of the weight lost being lean mass, while the remainder was fat loss [2]. - Other GLP-1 drugs have shown that lean mass can account for as much as 40% of total weight loss, highlighting pemvidutide's potential advantage in preserving lean mass [2]. - The CEO of Altimmune emphasized the importance of preserving lean mass for healthy weight loss and physical function [2]. Clinical Results - Participants taking 1.2 mg doses of pemvidutide lost an average of 10.3% of their total weight, while those on 1.8 mg doses lost 11.2%, and those on 2.4 mg doses achieved a mean weight loss of 15.6% [3]. - In contrast, participants receiving placebo doses lost only 2.2% of their weight [3]. Competitive Landscape - Altimmune faces significant competition from established players like Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, who are already selling large quantities of GLP-1 drugs [4]. - Additionally, many other companies are developing similar treatments, with 27 new treatments expected to be presented at a recent American Diabetes Association conference [4].