Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) presented Tuesday September 15, 2026 at 11:30 a.m. ET at the Morgan Stanley 24th Annual Global Healthcare Conference in New York with Jay Bradner MD (Executive Vice President Research and Development, Artificial Intelligence and Data) and Thomas Dittrich (Executive Vice President and CFO) — an unusual R&D-plus-finance pairing that indicates the AI-driven research investment thesis is a live investor question alongside the near-term MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide, antibody-peptide conjugate combining GLP-1 receptor agonism with GIP receptor antagonism) obesity narrative. The Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference presentation last Thursday September 10 laid out the MariTide dosing thesis (8-week or quarterly maintenance dosing, 4-6 doses per year after induction) plus the MARITIME-SWITCH Phase 3 conversion trial from weekly injectable semaglutide or tirzepatide onto monthly MariTide. Phase 2 data anchored 20% weight loss at 52 weeks plus reductions in triglycerides, hs-CRP, and an 11 mmHg blood pressure drop. Bradner is also expected to address the pipeline consolidation following the August discontinuation of AMG 513 (Phase 1 obesity), which left MariTide as the sole late-stage Amgen obesity asset. Filing is planned late 2026 to early 2027 with anticipated launch 2027-2028.
Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) executive commentary continued through the weekend of September 12-13, 2026 following Thursday's Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference in Boston, reinforcing that MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide, antibody-peptide conjugate combining a GLP-1 receptor agonist peptide with a GIP receptor antagonist antibody scaffold) is Amgen's sole obesity asset following the August 4, 2026 Q2 earnings-call disclosure that Amgen had discontinued Phase 1 candidate AMG 513. The AMG 513 discontinuation followed a similar Amgen fate for AMG 786 in 2024 and reflects the company's high internal efficacy bar for obesity assets against the emerging retatrutide (Lilly, ~28% weight loss in TRIUMPH-1) and CagriSema (Novo, ~20% in REDEFINE) benchmarks. Amgen's positioning for MariTide anchors on 8-week or quarterly maintenance dosing (4-6 doses per year), Phase 2 20% weight loss at 52 weeks, and cardiometabolic secondary benefits (triglycerides, hs-CRP, blood pressure). MARITIME-SWITCH Phase 3 tests conversion from weekly injectable semaglutide or tirzepatide to monthly MariTide. Analysts continue to seek Amgen M&A activity to broaden the obesity asset base, but company executives at Wells Fargo said the late-stage pipeline is largely full and business development will focus on earlier-stage opportunities.
Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) presented Thursday September 10, 2026 at the Wells Fargo 21st Annual Healthcare Conference in Boston, with Chief Medical Officer Paul Burton MD outlining a positioning for MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide, an antibody-peptide conjugate combining a GLP-1 receptor agonist peptide with a GIP receptor antagonist antibody scaffold) that could support 8-week or quarterly maintenance dosing (approximately 4-6 doses per year) after the induction phase. Phase 2 data showed about 20% weight loss at 52 weeks alongside lower triglycerides, lower high-sensitivity CRP, and an 11 mmHg drop in blood pressure. Two Phase 3 long-term extension studies (MARITIME-1 EXTENSION and MARITIME-2 EXTENSION) are examining lower maintenance dosing frequencies, plus a dedicated switch trial (MARITIME-SWITCH) testing conversion from weekly semaglutide or tirzepatide onto monthly MariTide. Six total Phase 3 MariTide trials enroll across obesity, obesity plus type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, heart failure, and cardiovascular outcomes. Filing is planned late 2026 to early 2027 with anticipated launch 2027-2028. The 4% bone mineral density decline signal from Phase 1 remains a factor to watch in the Phase 3 dataset.
Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) shares fell approximately 10% to $394.38 by midday Tuesday September 8, 2026 as investors continued to reprice the entire Lp(a)-lowering cardiovascular hypothesis following Novartis' Friday September 4 announcement that pelacarsen missed the primary MACE endpoint in the Phase 3 Lp(a)HORIZON trial. Amgen's olpasiran (RNAi Lp(a) suppressor) is the most direct readthrough: the Phase 3 OCEAN(a) trial is enrolling patients with elevated Lp(a) and established cardiovascular disease with a similar Lp(a)-lowering-plus-cardiovascular-outcome design and is estimated to read out 2027-2028. Lilly's lepodisiran (RNAi) is running in a broader group including primary-prevention patients, which analyst commentary suggests partly insulates it from the Novartis-specific readthrough. Silence Therapeutics' zerlasiran (RNAi) lowered Lp(a) by up to 85% at 36 weeks in ALPACAR-360; Silence has FDA feedback on a proposed Phase 3 design but is dependent on securing a development partner. The Lp(a) hypothesis question is now whether the drug class lowers hard cardiovascular outcomes, not whether the class lowers Lp(a) levels — that latter question was already answered in the affirmative.
Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) continued enrollment through September 2026 in the dedicated MARITIME switch trial that specifically tests whether patients currently on weekly semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) can be converted to monthly MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide, antibody-peptide conjugate combining GLP-1 receptor agonism with GIP receptor antagonism) with equivalent weight-loss maintenance and comparable tolerability. Filing for FDA approval is planned late 2026 to early 2027 with anticipated launch 2027-2028. Six total Phase 3 MariTide trials are enrolling across obesity (MARITIME-1), obesity plus type 2 diabetes (MARITIME-2), cardiovascular outcomes (MARITIME-CVD), heart failure (MARITIME-HF), obstructive sleep apnea (MARITIME-OSA), plus the switch trial. Cantor Fitzgerald analyst commentary earlier in 2026 had flagged a 4% bone mineral density decline signal from Phase 1 as a factor to watch; Phase 3 data on bone health will affect prescribing guidance especially for adults over 60 or with prior fracture history.
Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) continued through September 2026 the consolidation of its obesity portfolio around MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide, a monthly subcutaneous injectable antibody-peptide conjugate combining GLP-1 receptor agonist activity via the peptide component with GIP receptor antagonism via the antibody component) following the July 29, 2026 Q2 disclosure that Phase 1 AMG 513 development was halted. Amgen has launched a late-stage program specifically to test whether patients currently on weekly GLP-1 injections can be switched to monthly MariTide with equivalent efficacy and comparable tolerability — a differentiation strategy that uses the monthly dosing convenience as a switch driver rather than a first-line efficacy claim. Amgen expects to file for MariTide regulatory approval in late 2026 to early 2027. Six Phase 3 MariTide trials are enrolling across obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and obstructive sleep apnea. Cantor Fitzgerald analyst commentary earlier in 2026 had flagged a 4% bone mineral density decline signal from Phase 1 as a concern; Phase 3 data on bone health will factor into commercial positioning.
Seoul Economic Daily published Monday August 17, 2026 a market synthesis on the obesity drug runner-up field. Key runners-up positioning for 2027-2028 approval filings behind Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO): Structure Therapeutics (NASDAQ: GPCR) with aleniglipron (once-daily oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist) expected to initiate Phase 3 in H2 2026; Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) with MariTide (once-monthly injectable dual GIPR antagonist / GLP-1 agonist) now positioned as the sole obesity focus after the July 29 Q2 disclosure that Amgen halted AMG 513 Phase 1 development to concentrate resources on the MariTide MARITIME Phase 3 program; and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) with danuglipron oral GLP-1 receptor agonist plus the Metsera acquisition pipeline. Amgen expects to apply for MariTide regulatory approval in late 2026 to early 2027. The Amgen MariTide Phase 3 program covers obesity (MARITIME-1) plus obesity and type 2 diabetes (MARITIME-2), with additional Phase 3 studies exploring cardiovascular disease, heart failure, kidney disease, and obstructive sleep apnea. The sorting of winners from losers based on Phase 3 results will begin in earnest starting next year as the field competes on efficacy, safety, delivery format, and price for market share behind Lilly's Zepbound-Mounjaro-Foundayo franchise and Novo's Wegovy-Ozempic franchise.
Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) followed its Tuesday August 4, 2026 Q2 earnings beat with the Wednesday August 5 disclosure that the company is ending development of AMG 513, an early-stage obesity candidate. The discontinuation allows MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide, the monthly-injectable antibody-peptide conjugate targeting GLP-1 and GIP receptors) to remain the sole obesity focus in the Amgen pipeline as it advances through the Phase 3 MARITIME program (MARITIME-1 obesity, MARITIME-CV cardiovascular outcomes, MARITIME-HF heart failure). Amgen's Q2 2026 revenue reached $10.05 billion (+10% YoY) with adjusted EPS of $6.29 (+4% YoY, beating the $5.62 consensus). Full-year 2026 guidance was raised to $38.2-39.4 billion revenue (midpoint $38.8 billion versus $37.7 billion consensus) with adjusted EPS guidance of $22.30-23.50. Management emphasized the potential of upcoming data readouts for MariTide, Olpasiran (Lp(a)-lowering siRNA), and Xaluritamig (prostate cancer BiTE) to drive future growth beyond the established Repatha (PCSK9), EVENITY (osteoporosis), TEZSPIRE (severe asthma), and UPLIZNA (neuromyelitis optica) franchises. AMG 513 mechanism and stage details were not extensively disclosed, but the discontinuation signals disciplined pipeline management focused on the higher-conviction MariTide bet.
Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) reported Q2 2026 earnings Tuesday August 4, 2026 with a beat and raised full-year 2026 revenue guidance to $38.2-39.4 billion (midpoint $38.8 billion above the $37.7 billion analyst consensus). Adjusted EPS guidance is $22.30-23.50 (midpoint $22.90 above the $22.35 consensus). Growth-portfolio product performance drove the beat: Repatha (evolocumab, PCSK9 monoclonal antibody) reached $953 million (+37% year-over-year); EVENITY (romosozumab for osteoporosis) $714 million (+38%); TEZSPIRE (tezepelumab for severe asthma) $486 million (+42%); UPLIZNA (inebilizumab for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder) $335 million (+90%). The MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide, monthly-injectable antibody-peptide conjugate targeting GLP-1 and GIPR) Phase 3 obesity program continues advancing with multiple trials across weight management, cardiovascular outcomes, and heart failure indications; earnings-call commentary described 2026 as a year of disciplined MariTide data generation. Analyst scrutiny remains on the 4% bone mineral density decline observed in Phase 1 MariTide data (per Cantor Fitzgerald analysis) as a potential regulatory hurdle and safety disadvantage versus GLP-1 receptor agonist competitors. Amgen shares closed up 3.03% on August 4.