Ildong sets September 29 for topline Phase 1 data on a Korean oral GLP-1

Ildong Pharmaceutical, a South Korean drugmaker, said it will hold an investor briefing in Seoul on September 29 to present topline Phase 1 clinical trial results for ID110521156, an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist being developed by its affiliate Yunovia ^[1]. The event will be led by Ildong's President and COO Lee Chae-joon along with Yunovia R&D head Park Joon-tae, who plan to discuss the data and next steps for the drug's development ^[1].

ID110521156 has been in development since 2019 and entered Phase 1 testing in September 2023 ^[1]. Interim results shown at the American Diabetes Association meeting in Chicago in June reported that people taking the 100 mg dose lost an average of 6.9% of their body weight, with a maximum loss of 11.9%, over four weeks ^[1]. In that same interim data, none of the people on placebo lost 5% or more of their body weight, compared with 55.6% of those on the 50 mg dose and 66.7% of those on the 100 mg dose who reached that threshold ^[1]. The upcoming September 29 release is expected to add safety and tolerability data along with weight-loss results from a higher-dose group not yet disclosed ^[1].

A notable claim from the interim data is a low rate of gastrointestinal side effects even at higher doses, which the company contrasts with other oral GLP-1 drugs ^[1]. Novo Nordisk's oral semaglutide pill Rybelsus has bioavailability of about 1%, a limitation tied to how digestive enzymes break down GLP-1 drugs before they can be absorbed ^[1]. Ildong says its early data show fewer gastrointestinal side effects across the doses tested, though this is based on interim, not final, results, and full topline data have not yet been released ^[1].

Market reaction has been notable. Ildong's share price rose about 78%, from 12,840 Korean won (about $9.20) on June 25 to 22,800 won by September 2, according to closing prices tracked by the company ^[1]. Industry group KoreaBio projects the global obesity treatment market will grow at a compound annual rate of 48.4%, from $6.68 billion in 2023 to $48 billion by 2028 ^[1]. Other Korean companies, including Hanmi Pharmaceutical, D&D Pharmatech, and ProGen, are also pursuing oral GLP-1 obesity drugs, but ID110521156 is described as the most advanced Korean candidate in clinical development ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

This is still an early-stage trial. Phase 1 studies mainly test safety and dosing in small numbers of people, not how well a drug works in the general population over the long term ^[1]. The interim weight-loss numbers—6.9% average and 11.9% maximum over four weeks—come from a short trial period and have not yet been confirmed by the full topline data due September 29 ^[1]. For US patients, an oral GLP-1 pill with fewer gastrointestinal side effects could eventually offer an alternative to injectable drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, or to Rybelsus, which has known absorption limits ^[1]. But this drug is not close to being available. It has not started larger, later-stage trials, and no regulatory filings have been mentioned in the sources. Broader industry reporting shows competitors, including Eli Lilly's approved oral pill Foundayo and Novo Nordisk's oral Wegovy, are already on the US market or in late-stage testing, while Roche and AstraZeneca have their own oral and injectable candidates moving through trials this year ^[2]. Any comparison between ID110521156 and these established or advanced drugs is premature given its early trial stage.

What happens next

Ildong plans to present topline Phase 1 results, including high-dose weight-loss data and safety and tolerability findings, at its September 29 investor briefing in Seoul ^[1]. The company has not disclosed in these sources what its next clinical trial phase or timeline would be following this data release ^[1]. Separately, the broader obesity drug field has several other data points expected around the same period, including Roche's Pharma Day on September 28 and presentations at a European diabetes meeting from September 28 to October 2, though these involve different companies and drugs ^[2].