Alternatives to weekly injections of weight-loss drugs may be on the way. A monthly dose of a new drug called MariTide helped participants in a phase 2 clinical trial shed about 20% of their body weight over a year,

The once-monthly drug is still under study but could provide added convenience and another option for patients.

A new drug from California-based pharma company Amgen, which has concluded a phase II trial, shows promise as a powerful treatment for obesity. With just a once-monthly shot of 'MariTide,' participants in the study lost as much as 16% of their body weight over the course of a year.