Pfizer's New Drug Shows Promise in Combatting Cancer-Related Weight Loss

Mid-stage trial results reveal significant weight gain and improved quality of life for patients with cancer cachexia.

Pfizer's experimental drug, ponsegromab, demonstrated a 5.6% mean increase in body weight at the highest dose after 12 weeks.
The drug targets GDF-15, a protein linked to appetite loss and muscle wasting in cancer patients.
Patients in the Phase 2 trial also showed improvements in appetite, physical activity, and muscle mass.
Ponsegromab could become the first FDA-approved treatment for cancer cachexia, a condition affecting 9 million people globally.
Pfizer plans to begin registration-enabling studies in 2025, with further research also exploring its use in heart failure patients.