Understanding Obesity: A Complex Biological Disease

Obesity is a global public health challenge that increases the risk of many other serious diseases and conditions.1 These obesity-related conditions include type 2 diabetes, heart failure, kidney disease, obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease.2 Approximately one billion people worldwide are living with obesity3 and these numbers could rise into the billions in coming decades.4

As a complex biological disease, obesity affects different people in different ways and many therapeutic options may be necessary to fulfill the needs of all people living with obesity, overweight and related conditions. Addressing the needs of this community is a challenge that we take seriously and view as critical for public health.

In addition to our lead asset maridebart cafraglutide, also known as MariTide (formerly AMG 133), Amgen is also advancing an obesity pipeline including both oral and injectable approaches, composed of both incretin and non-incretin mechanisms. These treatment approaches are diverse and tailored to meet the dynamic needs of people who are overweight or living with obesity and related conditions, underscoring our commitment to innovation and patient care.

42.5%
In the U.S., more than two in five adults are living with obesity5
2x
The worldwide prevalence of obesity more than doubled between 1990 and 20223
~ 1 billion
The number of people worldwide living with obesity3

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References

  1. GBD 2015 Obesity Collaborators; Afshin A, et al. Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity in 195 Countries over 25 Years. N Engl J Med. 2017;377(1):13-27.
  2. Health Risks of Overweight & Obesity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.  https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/adult-overweight-obesity/health-risks. Published October 30, 2023. 
  3. World Health Organization: WHO. Obesity and overweight. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight. Published March 1, 2024. 
  4. Boutari C, Mantzoros CS. A 2022 update on the epidemiology of obesity and a call to action: as its twin COVID-19 pandemic appears to be receding, the obesity and dysmetabolism pandemic continues to rage on. Metabolism. 2022;133:155217. 
  5. Fryar CD, Carroll MD, Afful J. Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and severe obesity among adults aged 20 and over: United States, 1960–1962 through 2017–2018. NCHS Health E-Stats. 2020. www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity-adult-17-18/obesity-adult.htm.