Novo Nordisk and its Chinese partner, United Laboratories, have reported promising mid-stage trial results for their experimental obesity therapy UBT251, with patients losing up to 19.7% of their body weight after 24 weeks of treatment. The data offer a potential boost for the Danish drugmaker as it seeks to regain momentum following disappointing results from its CagriSema program.
The update comes a day after analysts at BMO Capital Markets said Novo Nordisk “needs a higher-efficacy answer” to compete with Eli Lilly’s obesity portfolio, including blockbuster drug Zepbound and late-stage candidate retatrutide. Despite the encouraging data, Novo’s shares opened nearly 3% lower in Denmark, extending losses triggered by the CagriSema setback.
Mid-Stage Trial Results Show Strong Weight Reduction
UBT251 is a triple agonist targeting GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors—an approach designed to enhance metabolic effects by acting on multiple pathways linked to appetite, glucose regulation and energy balance.
In the phase 2 study conducted in China, participants received one of three once-weekly doses of UBT251. Patients began the trial with an average baseline weight of 92.2 kg and achieved weight loss of up to 19.7% after 24 weeks, compared with a 2% reduction in the placebo group.
United Laboratories had previously linked the therapy to roughly 15% weight loss at 12 weeks in a phase 1b trial. Novo Nordisk acquired rights to the drug outside China last year in a deal worth $200 million upfront.
Competitive Landscape Dominated by Eli Lilly
The results place UBT251 in direct competition with Lilly’s Zepbound, currently the market leader in obesity treatment. In a phase 3 trial, Zepbound delivered weight loss of up to 20.9%, though patients required 72 weeks to reach that level—far longer than the 24-week duration reported for UBT251.
However, analysts caution that comparisons across trials are inherently unreliable due to differences in study design and patient populations. Weight loss with incretin-based therapies often continues beyond six months, raising the possibility that UBT251 could achieve greater reductions in longer studies. Neither Novo Nordisk nor United Laboratories has disclosed whether weight loss had plateaued at the 24-week mark.
Novo also faces competition from Lilly’s next-generation candidate retatrutide, which targets the same three receptors as UBT251. In late-stage testing, patients receiving retatrutide lost up to 28.7% of their body weight after 68 weeks, potentially setting a new efficacy benchmark that could make it harder for rivals to differentiate.
Broader Metabolic Benefits Reported
Beyond weight loss, UBT251 demonstrated statistically significant improvements in waist circumference, blood glucose, blood pressure and lipid levels. The companies said the therapy appeared safe and well tolerated, though detailed safety and efficacy data are being reserved for presentation at an upcoming medical congress.
Next Steps and Development Timeline
Novo Nordisk has already initiated a phase 2 trial of UBT251 in North America focused on obesity treatment. Meanwhile, United Laboratories is advancing parallel research in China across additional conditions, including chronic kidney disease, diabetes and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
United Laboratories has indicated it aims to launch UBT251 for obesity in 2028, with potential approvals in other indications targeted for 2029 and beyond.
The drug’s progress is being closely watched as Novo Nordisk works to reinforce its position in the rapidly expanding global obesity market, where competition is intensifying and demand for more effective therapies continues to grow.
