Core Insights - Rhythm Pharmaceuticals has received acceptance for its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for setmelanotide from the U.S. FDA, with a PDUFA goal date set for December 20, 2025, indicating a priority review status [1] - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has also validated a Type II variation submission for setmelanotide for the treatment of acquired hypothalamic obesity, with the review process initiated on August 16, 2025 [2] - Setmelanotide is already approved for other obesity-related conditions and is a melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) agonist, highlighting its potential in treating rare neuroendocrine diseases [3] Company Developments - Rhythm Pharmaceuticals will host an event titled "Commercial Readiness for Acquired Hypothalamic Obesity" on September 24, 2025, to discuss U.S. launch plans and the urgent need for treatment in this patient population [5] - The company emphasizes its commitment to expediting the availability of setmelanotide for patients suffering from acquired hypothalamic obesity, which presents unique challenges compared to general obesity [4] Clinical Trial Insights - The pivotal Phase 3 TRANSCEND trial involved 120 patients and demonstrated a statistically significant -19.8% placebo-adjusted reduction in body mass index (BMI) after 52 weeks of treatment with setmelanotide [4] - In the TRANSCEND trial, participants on setmelanotide achieved a -16.5% reduction in mean BMI compared to a +3.3% increase in the placebo group, with significant results across both adult and pediatric populations [4] Market Potential - Rhythm estimates that there are between 5,000 to 10,000 individuals in the U.S. and 3,500 to 10,000 in the EU living with acquired hypothalamic obesity, indicating a targeted market for setmelanotide [10]

Core Insights - Rhythm Pharmaceuticals presented new real-world data demonstrating that setmelanotide leads to significant weight reduction in patients with acquired or congenital hypothalamic obesity [1][3][10] Group 1: Clinical Data Presentation - New data was presented at the first-ever Joint Congress between the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and the European Society of Endocrinology, and the 32nd annual European Congress on Obesity, showcasing the effectiveness of setmelanotide [1][2] - The presentations included data from 35 patients treated with setmelanotide for up to nine months, showing consistent improvements in body mass index (BMI), BMI-z, and hunger scores [1][4] Group 2: Patient Outcomes - Among adult patients with acquired hypothalamic obesity, there was a mean BMI reduction of -11.9% at three months, -19.2% at six months, and -23.0% at nine months [5] - Pediatric patients also showed a decrease in BMI z-scores, with a mean reduction of 0.3 at three months and 0.4 at both six and nine months [5][11] Group 3: Safety Profile - Setmelanotide was generally well tolerated, with common adverse events including injection site reactions and skin hyperpigmentation, consistent with its established safety profile [6][10] Group 4: Future Developments - Rhythm Pharmaceuticals plans to submit a supplemental New Drug Application to the FDA and a Type II variation request to the European Medicines Agency for setmelanotide in the third quarter of 2025 [10]