Michael King

Michael King asked how Wave Life Sciences plans to communicate the benefits of WVE-007, specifically visceral fat loss and muscle preservation, given the broader obesity market's focus on body mass index (BMI) and total body weight loss.

Answer

President and CEO Paul B. Bolno emphasized that patients ultimately desire to be leaner, not just lighter, seeking high lean body mass and low fat without sacrificing muscle. He explained that WVE-007 delivers substantial fat reduction and muscle preservation, which naturally leads to weight loss, aligning with regulatory guidance that now indexes body composition. Bolno highlighted WVE-007's differentiated safety and tolerability compared to incretins, which face high discontinuation rates and tolerability challenges. He sees a significant opportunity for WVE-007 as a maintenance therapy, offering a once-to-twice-a-year option to sustain fat reduction and prevent muscle loss, providing an 'off-ramp' from chronic incretin use.

Michael King asked how Wave Life Sciences plans to communicate WVE-007's benefits of visceral fat loss and muscle preservation, differentiating it from the broader obesity market's focus on total body weight loss, especially given consumer trends.

Answer

Paul Bolno, President and CEO, emphasized that patients ultimately want to be 'leaner, not lighter,' seeking fat reduction and muscle preservation rather than just scale weight loss, which often comes at the expense of lean mass. He highlighted that WVE-007's profile (substantial fat reduction, lean mass preservation, once-to-twice-a-year dosing, differentiated safety) directly addresses health outcomes and patient desires. Bolno also pointed to the significant opportunity for WVE-007 as a maintenance therapy post-incretins, offering an 'off-ramp' from chronic, less tolerable treatments, a need echoed by strategic partners.