Rhythm Pharmaceuticals Announces Oral MC4R Agonist Bivamelagon Achieved Statistically Significant, Clinically Meaningful BMI Reductions in Placebo-controlled Phase 2 Trial in Acquired Hypothalamic Obesity

Core Insights - Rhythm Pharmaceuticals announced positive topline results from its Phase 2 trial of bivamelagon, showing significant BMI reductions in patients with acquired hypothalamic obesity [2][3] - The company plans to engage with regulatory authorities for a Phase 3 trial design and has requested an End-of-Phase 2 meeting with the U.S. FDA [7] Group 1: Trial Results - Bivamelagon achieved BMI reductions of -9.3% in the 600mg cohort and -7.7% in the 400mg cohort at 14 weeks [1][4] - A post-hoc analysis indicated that the BMI reductions from bivamelagon were consistent with those achieved by setmelanotide in similar patient populations [3][5] - Patients reported a mean reduction of -2.8 points in hunger scores in both the 600mg and 400mg cohorts [1][3] Group 2: Safety and Tolerability - The trial demonstrated safety and tolerability consistent with MC4R agonism, with limited instances of localized hyperpigmentation observed [4][6] - The most common adverse events included mild diarrhea and nausea, with one serious adverse event reported [6] Group 3: Next Steps and Regulatory Plans - Rhythm plans to seek input from U.S. and EU regulatory authorities regarding the Phase 3 trial design for bivamelagon [7] - The company is refining the formulation of bivamelagon to potentially improve tolerability before initiating the Phase 3 trial [7] Group 4: Company Background - Rhythm Pharmaceuticals is focused on transforming the lives of patients with rare neuroendocrine diseases and has in-licensed bivamelagon from LG Chem, Ltd [2][13] - The company’s lead asset, setmelanotide, is already approved for treating certain types of obesity [13][14]