Marea Therapeutics MAR002 Phase 1 First-in-Human Data at ENDO 2026: First Allosteric Anti-GHR Monoclonal Antibody Targets Bi-Weekly Acromegaly Dosing vs Daily Pegvisomant
Marea Therapeutics (Endocrine News Pharma Friday, June 19) released Phase 1 first-in-human data for MAR002, a first-in-class half-life-extended allosteric human monoclonal antibody growth hormone receptor antagonist (GHRA), at ENDO 2026 in Chicago. The Phase 1 readout supports a potential best-in-disease profile across safety, tolerability, pharmacodynamic IGF-1 lowering, and pharmacokinetics, with a long duration of action compatible with infrequent subcutaneous dosing — potentially once every two weeks — versus the daily subcutaneous administration required for pegvisomant (Somavert). MAR002 sits at the intersection of acromegaly's existing somatostatin (octreotide, lanreotide, Palsonify), GH-receptor (pegvisomant), and dopamine agonist (cabergoline) approaches and reframes the GHR antagonist class around an antibody, not a pegylated protein. Acromegaly's US/EU prevalence is roughly 40-70 per million.