Boehringer Ingelheim released detailed phase 3 data for its obesity drug survodutide, showing patients lost up to 16.6% of body weight while significantly reducing liver fat. The Synchronize trial results were presented at the American Diabetes Association's annual meeting, confirming the topline data announced in April.
However, investor attention quickly shifted to tolerability. Boehringer reported that 19% of patients discontinued treatment due to gastrointestinal side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, compared to 2.9% on placebo. This triggered a sell-off in shares of Zealand Pharma, the drug's licensor.
The competitive landscape is intensifying. Survodutide's 16.6% weight loss is comparable to Novo Nordisk's semaglutide but below Eli Lilly's tirzepatide and its experimental candidate retatrutide. Boehringer emphasized additional benefits: liver fat fell 63.1%, visceral fat dropped 34%, and in a separate MASLD trial, 61% of patients achieved normal liver fat levels.
Lee Kaplan, chair of the Synchronize Program Executive Committee, noted that weight loss is only part of the story for obesity patients facing risks of metabolic liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.