Pfizer adds second Phase 3 berobenatide knee osteoarthritis trial, completes Phase 2b VESPER-3

Pfizer's registry updates this week span a new Phase 3 knee osteoarthritis trial, a newly completed Phase 2b obesity study, an ongoing Phase 1 pharmacokinetics trial, and an unchanged observational cancer study.

• "A Study to Learn About Study Medicine Called Berobenatide in Adults With Knee Pain and Overweight or Obesity (VESPER-OA 1)" (NCT07919678) is a new Phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, first posted November 5, 2026 and listed as recruiting with an actual start date of October 26, 2026. The study will assess the safety and effects of berobenatide (PF-08653944) for knee osteoarthritis in adults with overweight or obesity, comparing it to placebo over 52 weeks on knee pain, physical function, and body weight.¹ Enrollment is estimated at 656 participants.¹
• "A Study to Learn About Berobenatide Given Once Weekly in Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis and Overweight or Obesity With or Without Type 2 Diabetes (VESPER-OA 2)" (NCT07915609) remains a Phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, recruiting since an actual start date of October 26, 2026. The study will test berobenatide, also known as PF-08653944, for knee osteoarthritis in people with overweight or obesity, with and without type 2 diabetes.² Enrollment is estimated at 756 participants.²
• "A Phase 2b Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Once-Monthly MET097 in Adults With Obesity or Overweight" (VESPER-3, NCT06973720) is now listed as completed, with a study completion date of October 19, 2026. The study tested weight loss effects, safety, and tolerability of multiple monthly doses of MET097 following 12 weekly doses, against placebo.³ Enrollment was 268 participants.³
• "A Study to Learn How the Study Medicine Called PF-08653945 is Taken up Into the Blood in Adults With Overweight or Obesity" (NCT07725809) remains a Phase 1, open-label pharmacokinetics study, active but not recruiting, with an actual start of July 23, 2026. The trial measures area under the curve and maximum observed concentration of PF-08653945 after a single dose.⁴ Enrollment is estimated at 57 participants at a single site in Belgium.⁴
• "Real-World Treatment Patterns and Effectiveness of Anti-EGFR- and Anti-VEGF-based Therapies in Left-sided RAS Wild-Type Metastatic Colorectal Cancer" (NCT07909122) remains an observational study, not yet recruiting, with an estimated start of October 30, 2026. Researchers will use de-identified data from US cancer clinics via the Flatiron Health Analytic Database.⁵