Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk announced on Monday the results of a Phase I trial for its experimental oral obesity drug, amycretin. According to the company, participants taking the drug achieved an average weight loss of 13.1% after 12 weeks.
The announcement was made during the company’s capital markets day, an event for investors and analysts. The trial data presented showed greater weight loss at the 12-week mark than was observed in earlier studies of Novo Nordisk’s injectable drug, Wegovy, which showed approximately 6% weight loss over the same period.
Amycretin is a co-agonist that targets two hormones: glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and amylin. This dual-target mechanism differs from the company’s existing weight-loss medications, Wegovy and Ozempic, which target only GLP-1.
Martin Holst Lange, Novo Nordisk’s head of development, presented the findings and commented on the drug’s potential profile. The company stated that the safety and side effect profile of amycretin was similar to that of Wegovy.
Following the announcement, Novo Nordisk’s shares rose more than 8% in trading, reaching a record high.
The data for amycretin arrives as competition in the market for weight-loss treatments intensifies. The primary competitor, Eli Lilly, markets the drug Zepbound, which targets GLP-1 and another hormone, GIP. Clinical trials for Zepbound have shown weight loss exceeding 20% after 72 weeks of use.
Novo Nordisk also has an injectable version of amycretin in development. The company plans to begin a Phase II trial for the oral formulation of amycretin in the second half of this year, with results expected in early 2026. The full data from the Phase I trial has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.
