Blackstone Bankrolls Pfizer’s Weight Loss Drug Trials for Slice of Future Sales
Vandana Singh 2 hours ago
NewsGeneralBiotechHealth CareLarge Cap
Pfizer and Blackstone Life Sciences signed a $1.5 billion deal to fund berobenatide, a monthly GLP-1 obesity drug entering 10 Phase 3 trials in 2026.
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) and Blackstone Life Sciences on Wednesday announced a strategic co-funding agreement under which Blackstone will pay up to $1.5 billion in development costs through 2028 for berobenatide.
Regulatory Approval and Commercial Sales Milestone Terms
The investigational drug is a potential first-in-class monthly GLP-1 receptor agonist peptide being studied for chronic weight management and obesity-related conditions.
In exchange for the funding, Blackstone will be eligible to receive milestone-based payments, subject to U.S. regulatory approval of monthly dosing of injectable berobenatide monotherapy for chronic weight management, and achievement of certain commercial sales milestones.
Pfizer Planned 20-Plus Trials for Obesity, Related Conditions in 2026
This includes 10 ongoing and planned Phase 3 trials for berobenatide (PF’3944), an investigational, potential first-in-class monthly GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) peptide being studied for chronic weight management and obesity-related comorbidities, including knee osteoarthritis and obstructive sleep apnea.
The growing body of evidence supports advancing an extensive development program for berobenatide as a monotherapy and in combination with various Nutrient-Stimulated Hormone (NuSH) peptides, including amylin analogs.
Encouraging Phase 2 Study Data
In June, Pfizer shared data from Phase 2b studies of berobenatide.
The company reported that the Phase 2b studies for berobenatide demonstrated a non-placebo-adjusted weight loss of 15.9% in participants.
Results from a 32-week exploratory extension (Part B) of the Phase 2b VESPER-1 study showed a non-placebo-adjusted weight loss of 15.9% with no plateau observed at 32 weeks on berobenatide (Week 60 of the overall study), in participants who escalated from placebo to 2.4 mg weekly berobenatide.
The VESPER-6 pivotal Phase 3 study investigating monthly maintenance dosing for berobenatide in obese adults is open for enrollment, as well as the SOLIS-1 Phase 2b study investigating weekly and monthly maintenance dosing of an ultra-long-acting amylin analog (PF’3945) as a monotherapy and in combination with berobenatide.
PFE Price Action: Pfizer shares were up 0.44% at $29.58 during premarket trading on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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