Novo Nordisk pens $2B deal for triple G agonist tied to 15% weight loss at 12 weeks

Novo Nordisk Secures $2B Deal for Promising Obesity Drug

Novo Nordisk signs exclusive global licensing deal worth up to $2 billion for UBT251, a weight-loss drug developed by China-based The United Laboratories International Holdings Limited5 7.
UBT251 is a long-acting triple agonist targeting the receptors for GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon12.
The deal includes a $200 million upfront payment, potential milestone payments of up to $1.8 billion, and tiered royalties5.
UBT251 has shown promising results, with 15% weight loss reported at 12 weeks in early trials11.

Deal Details:

Novo Nordisk will pay an initial $200 million upfront, with potential milestone payments reaching up to $1.8 billion. The agreement also includes tiered royalties on future sales5. The licensing deal excludes mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan5.

Drug Mechanism:

UBT251 is a long-acting synthetic peptide that acts as a triple agonist, simultaneously targeting the receptors for glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and glucagon12. This multi-target approach is similar to Eli Lilly's retatrutide, which has shown significant weight loss results in clinical trials8.

Clinical Progress:

UBT251 has been approved for clinical trials in China for adult type 2 diabetes, overweight or obesity, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease, and chronic kidney diseases. In the United States, it has received approval for clinical trials in adult type 2 diabetes, overweight or obesity, and chronic kidney disease5.

Market Context:

This deal comes as Novo Nordisk expands its obesity treatment portfolio, which already includes popular drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy5. The company is actively pursuing new obesity treatments to compete with rival Eli Lilly, whose triple agonist retatrutide has shown promising results in clinical trials3.