Drugs and FDA
Roche ends development of emugrobart for obesity
Roche stopped testing emugrobart for obesity after a phase 2 interim analysis indicated the trial was unlikely to meet its endpoints.
Roche has ended development of emugrobart as an obesity treatment and returned the drug to its Japanese subsidiary, Chugai, Fierce Biotech reported. The decision followed an interim analysis of the phase 2 Gyminda trial, which Chugai said found success was unlikely. Endpoints News also reported that Roche scrapped the drug’s development and returned it to Chugai.
Emugrobart was designed to block myostatin, a protein that limits muscle growth, and was being tested with the obesity injectable tirzepatide to help patients retain muscle while losing weight. Chugai said it plans to resume development for spinal muscular atrophy, a rare genetic disease, and has begun preparations for a phase III study. The company is also exploring potential partnerships for the drug.
