U.S.-based Kailera Therapeutics and Chinese firm Jiangsu Hengrui
\nPharmaceuticals’ (600276.SS), opens new tab experimental weight-loss drug has helped overweight patients lose up to 17.7% of body weight in a late-stage study in China, the companies said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Up to 88% of participants who received the drug, known as KAI-9531 outside China, lost at least 5% of their weight after 48 weeks compared to placebo, meeting the study’s main goals.<\/p>\n
The data comes at a time when U.S. drugmakers are increasingly looking to China to secure the rights to promising drug candidates at a lower cost and access important early data that could pave the way for global trials.
\n“As we think about commercial opportunity, this is a really good first look as to what we think we’re going to be able to leverage in terms of (obesity treatment) marketplace going forward,” Kailera CEO Ron Renaud said.<\/p>\n
The startup was launched last year with a rare $400 million early-stage funding and four obesity drug candidates licensed from Hengrui, in a move to grab a slice of the obesity treatment market primed to be worth $150 billion by the end of the decade.
\nKAI-9531, administered as a weekly injection, belongs to a the GLP-1 class of treatments that include Eli Lilly’s (LLY.N), opens new tab Zepbound and Novo Nordisk’s (NOVOb.CO), opens new tab Wegovy.<\/p>\n
The drugs work by helping control blood sugar levels and triggering a feeling of fullness.
\n“Where we’re really focused is where weight loss matters most, which is in people living with higher BMIs (body mass index),” Chief Commercial Officer Jamie Coleman said.<\/p>\n
“Today’s treatments…leave a lot of clinical need on the table for people who need to lose more than 20% (of weight).”
\nIn the study that included 567 participants, a six-milligram dose of the drug led to an average weight loss of 17.7% compared to placebo.<\/p>\n
The companies said the side effects were mild to moderate and gastrointestinal-related, consistent with similar treatments.
\nHengrui plans to seek regulatory approval in China, while Kailera will pursue global trials with higher doses and extended treatment durations.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, an eight-milligram dose of the drug led to an average weight loss of 22.8% in a mid-stage trial.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
U.S.-based Kailera Therapeutics and Chinese firm Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals’ (600276.SS), opens new tab experimental weight-loss drug has helped overweight patients lose up to 17.7% of body weight in a late-stage study in China, the companies said on Tuesday. Up to 88% of participants who received the drug, known as KAI-9531 outside China, lost at least […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":976,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[125],"class_list":{"0":"post-975","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sitefansalaran-international-news","8":"tag-kailera-touts-late-stage-win-for-weight-loss-drug-in-china"},"yoast_head":"\n