Amgen is advancing its competition with Novo Nordisk with a new Phase 3 trial of MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide), its long-acting diabetes and obesity drug. [5] The study will compare MariTide with semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy. [5] Enrollment of 1,300 participants is planned to begin in November 2026. [5]
The study’s primary goal is to show that MariTide is at least as effective as semaglutide at improving blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. [5] MariTide may offer a dosing convenience advantage, with monthly or less frequent doses compared with semaglutide’s weekly injections. [2, 11]
The head-to-head trial is a key step in Amgen’s effort to enter the lucrative GLP-1 market. [2] Earlier Phase 2 studies showed that MariTide can produce significant weight loss. [1, 3, 17] The results of the new trial could affect competition in obesity and diabetes treatments. [1, 3, 17]