The United Laboratories International Holdings Limited (TUL) and Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) on Tuesday shared topline results from a Chinese phase 2 trial of UBT251, a triple agonist of the receptors for GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon (triple G).

In March 2025, the companies inked an exclusive license agreement worth over $2 billion in upfront and milestone payments.

United Biotechnology is responsible for the development of UBT251 in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, while Novo Nordisk is responsible for the development in the rest of the world.

Positioning Against Eli Lilly’s Retatrutide

UBT251 is designed to challenge Eli Lilly & Co.’s (NYSE:LLY) ‘Triple G’ obesity drug, retatrutide, which has already shown promising weight loss results.

The China trial, conducted by United Biotechnology, investigated the safety and efficacy of once-weekly injectable 2 mg, 4 mg, and 6 mg doses of UBT251 compared to placebo in Chinese people with overweight or obesity.

From a baseline ...