(Reuters) -Metsera’s experimental obesity drug showed significant weight loss and favorable tolerability in two mid-stage studies, the drug developer said on Monday.

The injectable drug, MET-097i, led to a placebo-adjusted weight loss of up to 14.1% after 28 weekly doses ranging from 0.4 mg to 1.2 mg, the company said.

MET-097i is a GLP-1 receptor agonist like Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, mimicking the action of the naturally occurring hormone to regulate appetite and glucose metabolism.

Metsera has “high degree of confidence” that MET-097i could match or exceed the performance of a 15 mg dose of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound, at steady state, the company said.

In another ongoing trial with 268 patients, those on the highest dose of MET-097i experien

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