The United Laboratories International Holdings Ltd. (TUL) and Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) have announced promising topline results from a phase 2 trial of investigational drug UBT251 in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.
UBT251 is a triple agonist targeting the GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors (triple G) and is being co-developed by United Biotechnology, a subsidiary of United Labs, and Novo Nordisk. Triple G agonists are designed to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.
In the phase 2 trial, conducted by United Biotechnology, once-weekly injectable 2 mg, 4 mg and 6 mg doses of UBT251 were compared to placebo and Semaglutide 1 mg in Chinese people with type 2 diabetes. The primary endpoint of the trial was the change in HbA1c from baseline after 24 weeks of treatment.
At baseline, patients had an average HbA1c of 8.12%, a body weight of 80.1 kg, and a BMI of 29.1 kg/m².
After 24 weeks of treatment, UBT251 achieved the highest mean reduction in HbA1c of 2.16%, compared with 1.77% for Semaglutide 1 mg and 0.66% for placebo. Over the same period, UBT251 also reduced body weight by up to 9.8%, versus 4.8% for Semaglutide 1 mg and 1.4% for placebo.
According to the trial results, UBT251 also showed improvements over placebo on key secondary endpoints, including waist circumference, blood pressure, and lipid levels. Its safety and tolerability profile was consistent with observations from previous clinical trials of triple-G agonists.
United Biotechnology is planning to initiate two phase 3 trials with UBT251 in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.
Novo Nordisk plans to initiate a global phase 2 trial with UBT251 in people with type 2 diabetes later this year, while a separate global phase 2 trial in weight management is currently underway, with results expected next year.
The most advanced triple-G agonist in development is Eli Lilly's Retatrutide, which recently demonstrated significant reductions in HbA1c and weight in the first phase 3 trial for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
In the 40-week phase 3 study, dubbed TRANSCEND-T2D-1, participants received Retatrutide at doses of 4 mg, 9 mg, or 12 mg, or a placebo. Results released earlier this month showed that Retatrutide reduced HbA1c by an average of 1.7% to 2.0% across all doses, while participants on the 12 mg dose lost an average of 36.6 lbs (16.8%).
NVO has traded in a range of $35.85 to $81.44 in the last 1 year. The stock closed yesterday's trading at $36.89, up 0.19%.
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