Claimed effect · Pemvidutide

Does Pemvidutide help with weight loss?

C
Grade C — weak human evidencePhase 2 programme · effect size: moderate
Short answerWeak human evidence. Phase 2 programme: enough to be interesting, not enough to count on. Where an effect is seen it is a moderate effect. Weight loss accompanies the liver effect, as it does with every incretin agonist tested in MASH, and the glucagon component adds energy expenditure to appetite suppression. Pemvidutide's obesity trials are earlier-phase than its liver programme, which is why this row is C.

What the studies show

Weight loss accompanies the liver effect, as it does with every incretin agonist tested in MASH, and the glucagon component adds energy expenditure to appetite suppression. Pemvidutide's obesity trials are earlier-phase than its liver programme, which is why this row is C.

A few small or poorly-controlled human studies. Enough to be interesting; not enough to count on. Most of what gets called “clinically proven” online lives here.

In context

Pemvidutide is a once-weekly peptide agonist at both the GLP-1 and glucagon receptors, developed by Altimmune for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). In IMPACT, a 212-patient phase 2b published in The Lancet in 2025, MASH resolved without worsening of fibrosis in 52–58% of treated patients against 20% on placebo at 24 weeks. The second endpoint — fibrosis improvement — was not met at either dose. It is not approved anywhere.

Pemvidutide is investigational (phase 2b). Legal status differs by country — see the regulation section or the jurisdiction pages.

Questions

Is Pemvidutide proven to help with weight loss?
No. The human evidence is weak (Phase 2 programme); LYO grades it C.
What studies are behind the grade?
Weight loss accompanies the liver effect, as it does with every incretin agonist tested in MASH, and the glucagon component adds energy expenditure to appetite suppression. Pemvidutide's obesity trials are earlier-phase than its liver programme, which is why this row is C.
Is Pemvidutide approved for this?
No. Pemvidutide is investigational (phase 2b); it is not an approved medicine for any indication in the jurisdictions LYO covers.

Other outcomes for Pemvidutide

Written and maintained by LYO Research — how pages are written and checked. Reviewed 29 October 2026. Grades count human evidence only; see how LYO grades. Not medical advice. Correct this page →