By Dominic Chopping
Novo Nordisk said Wednesday that an experimental drug it is developing with Chinese pharmaceutical company The United Bio-Technology (Hengqin) Co. showed "positive" results with a mean body weight reduction of up to 9.8% after a 24-week trial.
The Danish drugmaker agreed to pay up to $2 billion for the rights to the developmental weight-loss and obesity drug last year as it looks to boost its pipeline of next-generation drugs.
The exclusive global licensing deal for UBT251--a drug that targets three different hormones to treat obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and other diseases--means Novo Nordisk has exclusive rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize UBT251 globally, excluding the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
In a phase 2 trial in Chinese patients with Type 2 diabetes, UBT251 also showed a mean blood sugar reduction of up to 2.16% while improving patient's waist circumference and blood pressure.
UBT251 differs from Novo Nordisk's current portfolio as it takes a three-pronged approach to weight-loss and blood-sugar control. It combines a GLP-1--the same class of drugs as Novo Nordisk's blockbuster Wegovy and Ozempic--with GIP to reduce appetite and blood sugar, and glucagon to prevent low blood-sugar levels.
The United Bio-Technology (Hengqin) Co. is a subsidiary of The United Laboratories International Holdings.
Write to Dominic Chopping at dominic.chopping@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
03-25-26 0256ET
