TARRYTOWN, New York, October 1, 2026
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced detailed results from the Phase 2 COURAGE trial evaluating trevogrumab, an investigational fully human monoclonal antibody, in adults experiencing weight loss associated with treatment using a GLP-1 receptor agonist. The study evaluated whether trevogrumab could preserve lean mass and muscle while patients lost body weight with GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy. According to Regeneron, the trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating that trevogrumab significantly reduced the loss of lean mass compared with placebo. The findings add clinical evidence to Regeneron’s strategy of investigating treatments that may address changes in body composition during pharmacologically induced weight loss. The company reported that trevogrumab, when administered alongside a GLP-1 receptor agonist, resulted in greater preservation of lean mass while maintaining substantial reductions in body weight. The results were presented as a late-breaking clinical study at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2026 Annual Meeting and support continued development of trevogrumab for potential use alongside incretin-based weight-management therapies.
COURAGE Trial Evaluates Muscle Preservation
The Phase 2 COURAGE study was designed to investigate whether targeting the activin type II receptor pathway could help preserve lean mass during GLP-1 receptor agonist-induced weight loss. Participants received a GLP-1 receptor agonist together with either trevogrumab or placebo, and researchers assessed changes in body composition over the treatment period. Regeneron reported that trevogrumab significantly reduced the loss of lean mass compared with placebo. The study also evaluated additional measures of body composition, including changes in fat mass and other indicators of muscle preservation. The findings suggest that the investigational antibody may influence the proportion of weight lost from lean tissue during pharmacological weight reduction. Preserving muscle is an important consideration in long-term weight management because skeletal muscle contributes to physical function, metabolic health and overall body composition.
Trevogrumab Targets Muscle-Building Pathways
Trevogrumab is an investigational monoclonal antibody designed to selectively block activin receptor type IIB (ActRIIB) signaling. The ActRIIB pathway is involved in biological mechanisms regulating muscle growth and maintenance. By inhibiting this signaling pathway, trevogrumab is being studied for its potential to promote muscle preservation and improve body composition. Regeneron’s research is based on the premise that pharmacological weight loss can involve reductions in both fat mass and lean mass, and that a therapy capable of influencing muscle-related pathways could potentially change the composition of weight lost. The COURAGE study provides clinical evidence on this mechanism in people receiving a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Importantly, trevogrumab remains an investigational therapy, and additional clinical research will be required to establish its long-term safety and clinical benefits.
Advertisement
Results Support Combination Weight-Loss Strategy
The COURAGE results are relevant to the rapidly expanding field of obesity pharmacotherapy, where GLP-1 receptor agonists and related incretin medicines have demonstrated substantial weight-loss effects. While reductions in body weight can provide important health benefits, researchers are increasingly investigating strategies to understand and potentially influence changes in body composition. Regeneron said trevogrumab demonstrated a lean-mass preservation effect while participants continued to experience weight loss with GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment. The findings could support further investigation of combination approaches in which an anti-obesity therapy addresses overall weight reduction while a complementary treatment targets preservation of lean tissue.
The company said the COURAGE results add to previous clinical evidence from trevogrumab studies and strengthen understanding of the antibody’s potential role in maintaining muscle during weight loss. Further analyses will be important to determine whether preservation of lean mass translates into meaningful improvements in muscle strength, physical function and long-term health outcomes. Regeneron continues to evaluate trevogrumab as part of its broader research into therapies targeting body composition and metabolic disease. The Phase 2 findings provide additional clinical data for the investigational approach, while future studies will help define its potential role in patients using GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight management.
Source: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals press release
