Novo Nordisk and United Biotechnology report UBT251 phase 2 diabetes results
UBT251 is an unapproved once-weekly injection that beat semaglutide 1 mg on two mid-stage measures in Chinese patients, but it is years from any regulatory decision in the US.
An experimental once-weekly injection called UBT251 lowered A1c by as much as 2.16% and body weight by as much as 9.8% after 24 weeks in a phase 2 trial of 211 Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes, according to topline results announced March 25, 2026 by Novo Nordisk and The United Laboratories International Holdings [1].
UBT251 is a triple agonist, meaning it targets three hormone receptors at once: GLP-1, GIP and glucagon [1]. It is being developed jointly by United Biotechnology, a subsidiary of United Laboratories, and Novo Nordisk under an agreement signed in March 2025. United Biotechnology holds rights in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan; Novo Nordisk holds rights everywhere else [1].
How the trial was run
The randomized, double-blind trial enrolled 211 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes who were managing the condition with lifestyle changes alone or with metformin [1]. At the start, the group's average A1c was 8.12%, average body weight was 80.1 kg and average BMI was 29.1 [1].
Participants were assigned to weekly injections of UBT251 at 2 mg, 4 mg or 6 mg, or to placebo, or to semaglutide 1 mg for 24 weeks. The main goal was change in A1c [1].
The release reports the highest result seen in the UBT251 arms rather than a figure for each dose, so it has not been disclosed which of the three doses produced which results [1]. The weight figure was estimated using an analysis of covariance model and an efficacy measure that counts patients regardless of dose changes or adjustments to background metformin [1].
What the numbers showed
A1c fell by up to 2.16% in the UBT251 groups, compared with 1.77% for semaglutide 1 mg and 0.66% for placebo [1].
Body weight fell by up to 9.8% in the UBT251 groups, compared with 4.8% for semaglutide 1 mg and 1.4% for placebo [1].
The company said UBT251 also showed improvements relative to placebo on waist circumference, blood pressure and lipids, and that its safety and tolerability profile appeared consistent with what has been seen in other trials of triple-G agonists [1]. No further detail on side effects was given in the announcement.
"We will fully advance the phase 3 trial in China, committed to providing superior treatment options for patients worldwide," said Tsoi Hoi Shan, chairman of United Laboratories [1].
Why it matters for patients
UBT251 is not approved in the United States or anywhere else, and this was a mid-stage trial. Phase 2 results often do not hold up in the larger phase 3 trials that regulators require, and no approval timeline, price or US availability has been disclosed [1].
For people already taking a GLP-1 medication, the practical meaning right now is limited. The comparison in this trial was against semaglutide 1 mg — the brand names for semaglutide are Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus — given once weekly over 24 weeks [1]. Results from one trial population are not a head-to-head verdict on drugs as they are actually prescribed, and the announcement does not say how UBT251 compared on side effects, tolerability, or how many people stopped treatment.
The trial enrolled only Chinese patients and lasted 24 weeks. Whether the results carry over to other populations or to longer treatment has not been reported [1].
What happens next
United Biotechnology plans to present detailed data from this trial at a medical congress later this year and intends to start two phase 3 trials in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes [1].
Novo Nordisk expects to begin a global phase 2 trial of UBT251 in type 2 diabetes in the second half of 2026. It is also already running a global phase 1b/2a trial in about 330 people with overweight or obesity, testing different doses for up to 28 weeks, with topline data expected in 2027 [1]. A separate global phase 2 trial in weight management is reading out next year. "Novo Nordisk will initiate a global phase 2 trial with UBT251 in people with type 2 diabetes later this year," said Martin Holst Lange, Novo Nordisk's chief scientific officer and head of research and development [1].
The two companies have not said when they expect to seek regulatory approval in the US [1].
Sources
Semaglutides.org provides information only, not medical advice. Talk to a licensed provider about your own care before making changes. Some telehealth links are affiliate links and are labeled where they appear.