Peptide News Digest

#Olpasiran

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Amgen Shares Fall 10% Tuesday to $394 on Lp(a)-Class Fears After Novartis Pelacarsen Phase 3 Miss; Olpasiran Readthrough in Focus

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.

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Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) Follows Tuesday Q2 Beat With Wednesday August 5 Disclosure That the Company Is Ending Development of AMG 513, an Early-Stage Obesity Candidate; The Discontinuation Allows the MariTide (Maridebart Cafraglutide) Monthly-Injectable Antibody-Peptide Conjugate for Obesity to Remain the Sole Obesity Focus in the Amgen Pipeline; Amgen's Full-Year 2026 Guidance Raised to $38.2-39.4 Billion Revenue (Midpoint $38.8 Billion vs $37.7 Billion Consensus) With Continued Analyst Focus on the Upcoming MariTide, Olpasiran, and Xaluritamig Data Readouts as Key Drivers of Growth Beyond the Established Repatha, EVENITY, and TEZSPIRE Franchises

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.