GAITHERSBURG, Md., Sept. 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Altimmune, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced the completion of dosing (last subject last dose) in its 48-week Phase 2 MOMENTUM trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of pemvidutide in subjects with obesity or overweight. Pemvidutide is a novel, investigational GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist under development for the treatment of obesity and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

MOMENTUM is a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial that is being conducted at approximately 30 sites in the United States, with Dr. Louis J. Aronne, Founder and Director of the Center for Weight Management at Weill-Cornell Medical Center, and a leading authority in obesity and obesity clinical trials, serving as the Principal Investigator. At the conclusion of enrollment, a total of 391 subjects with obesity or overweight and without diabetes were enrolled and randomized, the higher than planned enrollment reflecting the high enthusiasm for the trial and surge in eligible participants at final screenings. Subjects were randomized 1:1:1:1 to either 1.2 mg, 1.8 mg, 2.4 mg pemvidutide or placebo administered weekly for 48 weeks in conjunction with diet and exercise. The primary endpoint of the trial is the relative (percent) change in body weight at 48-weeks compared to baseline, with additional readouts including metabolic and lipid profiles, cardiovascular measures and glucose homeostasis.

“We remain on target to announce topline 48-week results from our Phase 2 MOMENTUM trial in the fourth quarter of this year,” said Vipin K. Garg, Ph.D., President and CEO of Altimmune. “We believe pemvidutide offers a highly differentiated product profile that includes significant reductions in body weight, serum lipids and liver fat, without increases in heart rate or other cardiovascular safety signals.  We also believe this combination of attributes has the potential to demonstrate best in class benefits in future cardiovascular outcome trials.”

About Pemvidutide

Pemvidutide is a novel, investigational, peptide-based GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist in development for the treatment of obesity and NASH. Activation of the GLP-1 and glucagon receptors is believed to mimic the complementary effects of diet and exercise on weight loss, with GLP-1 suppressing appetite and glucagon increasing energy expenditure. Glucagon is also recognized as having direct effects on hepatic fat metabolism, leading to rapid reductions in levels of liver fat. Pemvidutide incorporates the EuPort^™ domain, a proprietary technology that increases its serum half-life for weekly dosing while likely slowing the entry of pemvidutide into the bloodstream, which may improve its tolerability.

About Altimmune

Altimmune is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative next-generation therapeutics for the treatment of obesity and liver diseases. The Company’s lead product candidate, pemvidutide, is a GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist that is being developed for the treatment of obesity and NASH. In addition, Altimmune is developing HepTcell^™, an immunotherapeutic designed to achieve a functional cure for CHB. For more information, please visit www.altimmune.com.

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Forward-Looking Statement

Any statements made in this press release relating to future financial or business performance, conditions, plans, prospects, trends, or strategies and other financial and business matters, including without limitation, the timing of key milestones for our clinical assets, the timing of the data readouts of the Phase 2 MOMENTUM trial of pemvidutide in obesity, and the prospects for the utility of, regulatory approval, commercializing or selling any product or drug candidates, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In addition, when or if used in this press release, the words “may,” “could,” “should,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “predict” and similar expressions and their variants, as they relate to Altimmune, Inc. may identify forward-looking statements. The Company cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, which change over time. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward looking statements or historical experience include risks and uncertainties, including risks relating to: delays in regulatory review, manufacturing and supply chain interruptions, access to clinical sites, enrollment, adverse effects on healthcare systems and disruption of the global economy; the reliability of the results of studies relating to human safety and possible adverse effects resulting from the administration of the Company’s product candidates; the Company’s ability to manufacture clinical trial materials on the timelines anticipated; and the success of future product advancements, including the success of future clinical trials. Further information on the factors and risks that could affect the Company's business, financial conditions and results of operations are contained in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and our other filings with the SEC, which are available at www.sec.gov.

Altimmune Investor & Media Contact:

Rich Eisenstadt
Chief Financial Officer
Phone: 240-654-1450
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