Replies to post #252299 on Biotech Values

[Mufaso]

Muscle mass preservation - Altimmune is trading significantly today (almost 25% as I am posting!) after the company announced data from the 48-week Phase 2 MOMENTUM clinical trial of pemvidutide at ADA. For the time being, I'm putting Alt in the quasi-legit category Dew has defined simply because I think the companies management is on the up and up. The data seems to support that they are on to something although I'd like to see some mechanistic explanation of the drug's activity or some scientifically designed trial where for example one trial arm exercises and another given the same amount of drug doesn't.

I think the dramatic rise in the stock today is a function of the high short position in ALT (32% of shares outstanding are shorted!) and is temporary short covering.

Here is what the company said in their presser:

We’re pleased with the data presented at ADA that highlight the impressive lean mass preservation achieved with pemvidutide, with only 21.9% of weight loss attributable to lean mass,” said Vipin K. Garg, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Altimmune. “The preservation of lean mass observed in this trial was better than reported historically with diet and exercise programs and greater than what has been publicly reported with other incretin weight loss drugs, where lean mass has accounted for as much as 40% of total weight loss. Preservation of lean mass, which is primarily muscle tissue, is believed to be important in maintaining healthy weight loss and physical function. We believe that the level of muscle preservation observed in the Phase 2 trial further adds to the differentiation of pemvidutide in the treatment of obesity.”

At Week 48, subjects receiving pemvidutide achieved mean weight losses of 10.3%, 11.2%, 15.6% and 2.2% at the 1.2 mg, 1.8 mg, and 2.4 mg doses and placebo, respectively, with a near-linear continued weight loss observed on the 2.4 mg dose at the end of treatment. The full MRI-based body composition analysis included 50 subjects who received pemvidutide and showed that subjects in the pemvidutide groups had an average lean mass loss of 21.9% with 78.1% of weight loss attributable to fat.

https://ir.altimmune.com/news-releases/news-release-details/altimmune-presents-data-phase-2-momentum-trial-pemvidutide

Nothing in the above provides a reason for the preservation of lean body mass due to the drug. Note that the trial called for pemvidutide to be administered in conjunction with "diet and exercise." for all participants. Could that be the reason for lessened issues with loss of muscle mass loss while dieting?