Pemvidutide

Altimmune (investigational)

Pemvidutide (ALT-801) is an investigational dual-agonist peptide that activates both the GLP-1 and glucagon receptors, developed by Altimmune specifically for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and obesity. Like survodutide, pemvidutide exploits the glucagon receptor's ability to drive hepatic fatty acid oxidation and increase energy expenditure, while the GLP-1 component provides appetite suppression, insulin secretion, and glycemic counterbalance. The molecule was engineered with a specific GLP-1-to-glucagon potency ratio optimized for liver fat reduction — a design choice that distinguishes it from other dual agonists in the space. In the MOMENTUM phase 2 trial in adults with overweight or obesity, pemvidutide achieved approximately 15.6% body weight reduction at 48 weeks at the 2.4 mg dose, with significant reductions in liver fat content assessed by MRI-PDFF. The MASH-focused ATLAS trial demonstrated meaningful histological improvement. The tolerability profile follows the expected incretin-class pattern: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea were the most common adverse events, predominantly during dose escalation. Altimmune has progressed pemvidutide into late-stage development, positioning it as a competitor to survodutide in the GLP-1/glucagon dual-agonist category. The molecule's differentiation rests on its specific receptor-potency balance and its emerging liver-fat data, which suggest glucagon-containing dual agonists may offer mechanistic advantages over GLP-1 monoagonists for hepatic steatosis.