MannKind and Rose Pharma sign deal to develop an inhaled GLP-1 for weight management

MannKind Corporation and Rose Pharma Inc. said on Sept. 9, 2026 that they signed a worldwide licensing and collaboration agreement to develop ROSE-010 Technosphere, an inhaled, rapid-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist intended for weight management ^[1][2]. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed ^[1].

Under the agreement, Rose Pharma received an exclusive, worldwide license to use MannKind's Technosphere dry-powder inhalation technology to develop and commercialize ROSE-010 Technosphere ^[1]. MannKind will support formulation development and provide pharmaceutical development services through completion of a Phase 1b study in weight management, while Rose Pharma retains responsibility for clinical development, regulatory strategy and commercialization ^[1]. In return, MannKind will receive an equity interest in Rose Pharma, the right to royalties on potential future net sales of ROSE-010 Technosphere, and representation on Rose Pharma's board of directors ^[1].

"ROSE-010 represents a compelling opportunity to apply Technosphere technology in weight management, one of the most dynamic areas of healthcare," said Michael Castagna, PharmD, MannKind's chief executive officer ^[1]. Enda Kenny, PhD, Rose Pharma's chief executive officer, said there is a need "not only to help patients maintain weight loss, but also to reach treatment-naïve individuals who may be hesitant to begin currently available GLP-1 therapies" ^[1].

What is known about the drug

ROSE-010 is described as a rapid-acting, short-duration GLP-1 analog designed for rapid onset and short duration of effect, so the timing of when the therapy is active in the body can be patient-controlled ^[1]. The announcement says it is supported by four completed human clinical trials ^[1].

In a Phase 2a trial in weight management, ROSE-010 showed reductions in mealtime caloric intake and weight loss, along with a GI tolerability profile the company described as favorable and consistent with the drug's limited exposure window ^[1]. In a separate Phase 2a study in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, it showed clinically meaningful, statistically significant pain relief ^[1]. The announcement did not report the size of those trials, the amount of weight lost, or rates of specific side effects ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

ROSE-010 is investigational and is not an approved medicine that patients can be prescribed today ^[1]. Nothing in the announcement changes access to any currently marketed GLP-1 product ^[1].

The pitch behind a short-duration inhaled option is flexibility: a drug that acts quickly and clears quickly could let patients choose when it is active, and the companies say it might appeal to people who have not started existing GLP-1 therapies, or to people trying to maintain weight loss already achieved ^[1]. Rose Pharma's stated plan is to test it in both weight management and IBS pain relief ^[1].

How well that would work is not yet established. The announcement gives no head-to-head comparison with approved GLP-1 medications, no weight-loss percentages, and no details on how an inhaled version would be priced or covered by insurance ^[1]. The announcement also includes a caution that testing of an investigational drug may not produce successful results, or results consistent with earlier testing ^[1].

What happens next

The companies said initial work will focus on re-establishing and optimizing the formulation, followed by nonclinical and regulatory-enabling development, with MannKind's development and manufacturing support running through completion of a Phase 1b study in weight management ^[1]. Rose Pharma's strategy is to pursue Phase 2b studies in weight management and in IBS pain relief, then seek partners for late-stage development and commercialization ^[1]. No start dates, enrollment targets or completion timelines for those studies were disclosed ^[1].

Separately, an abstract describing a patient preference survey of more than 1,300 adults with obesity, led by Angela Fitch, MD, has been accepted for presentation at ObesityWeek 2026; the announcement said respondents expressed strong interest in a rapid-acting, short-duration GLP-1 profile offering greater flexibility and patient control ^[1].