Core Insights - Rhythm Pharmaceuticals presented new data on acquired hypothalamic obesity at the Endocrine Society's Annual Meeting (ENDO 2025), highlighting the efficacy of setmelanotide and bivamelagon in reducing body mass index (BMI) in affected patients [1][2][3]. Group 1: Clinical Data and Efficacy - The Phase 2 SIGNAL trial demonstrated that bivamelagon, a daily oral MC4R agonist, achieved statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in BMI over 14 weeks [2]. - The Phase 3 TRANSCEND trial showed setmelanotide resulted in a -9.3% BMI reduction in the 600mg cohort, -7.7% in the 400mg cohort, and -2.7% in the 200mg cohort, with a placebo cohort showing a 2.2% increase in BMI [4][5]. - A placebo-adjusted difference of -19.8% in BMI reduction was observed across 120 participants, with significant reductions noted in various age and sex subgroups [5][6]. Group 2: Patient Impact and Future Potential - The data from the trials suggest that both bivamelagon and setmelanotide could become transformative therapeutic options for patients with acquired hypothalamic obesity, potentially establishing a new standard of care [2][4]. - Rhythm estimates that there are between 5,000 to 10,000 individuals living with hypothalamic obesity in the U.S., indicating a significant patient population that could benefit from these treatments [11]. Group 3: Company Overview - Rhythm Pharmaceuticals is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on rare neuroendocrine diseases, with its lead asset, setmelanotide, approved for treating obesity related to specific genetic conditions [9][12]. - The company is advancing a broad clinical development program for setmelanotide and other investigational MC4R agonists, indicating a commitment to expanding treatment options for patients with rare diseases [9].

Core Insights - Rhythm Pharmaceuticals presented new data on acquired hypothalamic obesity at the Endocrine Society's Annual Meeting (ENDO 2025), highlighting the efficacy of setmelanotide and bivamelagon in reducing body mass index (BMI) in affected patients [1][2][3] Group 1: Clinical Data and Efficacy - The Phase 3 TRANSCEND trial demonstrated significant BMI reductions with setmelanotide, showing a -9.3% reduction in the 600mg cohort, -7.7% in the 400mg cohort, and -2.7% in the 200mg cohort, while the placebo cohort experienced a 2.2% increase [4][5] - A placebo-adjusted difference of -19.8% in BMI reduction was observed across 120 participants, with significant reductions noted in various age and sex subgroups [5][6] - Bivamelagon, a daily oral MC4R agonist, also showed statistically significant BMI reductions in a Phase 2 trial, indicating its potential as a transformative treatment option for patients with acquired hypothalamic obesity [2][3] Group 2: Patient Population and Market Potential - Acquired hypothalamic obesity is a rare condition affecting an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 individuals in the U.S., with similar prevalence in Japan and the E.U. [11][10] - The condition is characterized by rapid weight gain and hyperphagia due to damage to the hypothalamic region of the brain, often following brain tumors or their treatment [10][11] - The presentations at ENDO 2025 underscore the potential for MC4R-targeted therapies to become the standard of care for this patient community if approved [2][3]