Rivus Pharmaceuticals’ experimental cardiometabolic drug, HU6, nailed a mid-stage trial in obese patients with heart failure, finding that patients notched a statistically significant reduction in weight.
Tuesday’s interim readout is a key benchmark for the company, which is backed by RA Capital and Bain Capital, among others. In the study, Rivus said patients with obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction who were treated with HU6 had a statistically significant reduction in weight and met “several secondary efficacy and pharmacodynamic endpoints.”
More data are expected to be presented at the Heart Failure Society of America Annual Scientific Meeting in late September.
The asset — Rivus’ lead candidate — is among the crop of next-generation obesity treatments that aims to help patients lose weight without losing muscle mass. Rivus said that HU6 was well-tolerated and had a “favorable safety profile.” It plans to launch a Phase 3 study in 2025.
The startup’s development work overlaps with what Eli Lilly has pursued with its own blockbuster weight loss drug. Earlier this month, the Indianapolis pharma posted successful Phase 3 data testing tirzepatide in virtually the same heart failure patient population.
In addition to heart failure, Rivus is testing HU6 in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), obesity and type 2 diabetes. The biotech expects a Phase 2 MASH readout in the first half of 2025.
Rivus put itself in the cardiometabolic race after raising a $132 million Series B almost two years ago, after launching in July 2021 with $35 million.