Novo Nordisk and United Laboratories International said results from a mid-stage clinical trial in China showed their jointly developed obesity drug candidate delivered average weight loss of up to 19.7% after 24 weeks of treatment.
The study, conducted by a biotechnology subsidiary of United Laboratories, evaluated the safety and effectiveness of different once-weekly injectable doses of the experimental drug UBT251 compared with a placebo. The trial involved Chinese adults living with overweight or obesity.
Participants started with an average body weight of 92.2 kilograms. Those receiving the highest dose of UBT251 experienced a mean weight reduction of 19.7% after 24 weeks, while the placebo group recorded an average reduction of 2.0%, according to the companies.
Novo Nordisk’s chief scientific officer, Martin Holst Lange, said the results were encouraging and highlighted the drug’s potential based on the data generated in the China-based study.
UBT251 belongs to a newer category of obesity treatments designed to target multiple hormones involved in appetite and metabolism. Unlike existing GLP-1 drugs that focus on a single hormone, UBT251 acts on GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon — a combination often referred to as “triple G.”
By comparison, Novo Nordisk recently reported data showing its obesity drug CagriSema achieved a 23% reduction in body weight over a longer treatment period. Rival therapies from Eli Lilly have demonstrated weight loss exceeding 25% in advanced trials.
Novo Nordisk has also launched a global study of UBT251 involving multiple dose levels over up to 28 weeks in approximately 330 participants with overweight or obesity, with results expected in 2027. A separate trial targeting type 2 diabetes is also planned.
The company acquired global development and commercial rights to UBT251 last year in a deal valued at up to $2 billion. The agreement excludes mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, where rights remain with United Laboratories.
