Pemvidutide

Pemvidutide addresses one of the biggest concerns with current weight loss drugs: losing muscle along with fat. Developed by Altimmune, this dual GLP-1/glucagon receptor agonist is engineered to shift body composition favorably during weight loss. Like other dual agonists, the GLP-1 component suppresses appetite while glucagon increases energy expenditure and fat oxidation. But pemvidutide's particular receptor activation ratio appears optimized for preserving lean mass. In the MOMENTUM trial, participants lost approximately 15% of body weight at 48 weeks, with a notably high proportion coming from fat mass rather than muscle. This matters because traditional weight loss—whether from dieting or drugs—typically costs significant muscle, which can lower metabolism and impair function, especially in older adults. Pemvidutide is also being studied for NASH/liver fibrosis, leveraging glucagon's hepatic effects. Once-weekly dosing and a cleaner side effect profile than some competitors position it as a differentiated option in an increasingly crowded obesity market.