In a mid-stage trial, Regeneron’s experimental drug trevogrumab, combined with Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide, reduced muscle loss associated with weight loss. Participants receiving the combination lost 50% less muscle mass than those taking semaglutide alone.
Trevogrumab inhibits myostatin, a protein linked to muscle loss. The trial lasted 52 weeks. At a 75mg dose, trevogrumab preserved more than 70% of the muscle that otherwise would have been lost with semaglutide.
The findings were presented at a European medical conference. They suggest combination therapies could improve the quality of weight loss for patients taking GLP-1 drugs, which can also reduce healthy lean muscle. Analysts forecast that the GLP-1 market could be worth billions.