Hansoh, a Chinese pharmaceutical company partnered with Regeneron, announced on Mar. 9 that its dual GLP-1/GIPR agonist olatorepatide achieved a mean weight loss of 19% in a Phase 3 trial involving adults with obesity or who are overweight. The late-stage study included 604 participants and showed the weight loss at week 48, with tolerability data suggesting an improvement over other drugs in the incretin class.
The results are significant as they may provide Regeneron with a promising asset to strengthen its pipeline, which has faced recent challenges. Analysts from Truist Securities said the data could help differentiate olatorepatide from competitors such as Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy. "[We] are encouraged on the potential of the in-licensed obesity asset, gaining a seat at the table," Truist wrote.
Olatorepatide met its co-primary endpoints by achieving statistically significant reductions in body weight compared to placebo and showing more participants reaching at least 5% weight loss after 48 weeks. Hansoh also reported lower rates of gastrointestinal side effects and treatment discontinuations than seen in other late-stage incretin trials, with nausea below 10% and vomiting averaging at 5%.
Regeneron acquired rights to olatorepatide outside China through a June 2025 agreement that included $80 million upfront and up to $1.93 billion in milestone payments. The company plans to begin global late-stage trials later this year, while additional data from the current study will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting.
Truist noted that this new asset could help renew interest in Regeneron's future prospects following regulatory setbacks and declining sales for key products like Eylea. The company is considering three indications for olatorepatide: weight loss, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. "We continue to track management’s positioning of ola’ in a competitive and crowded obesity landscape," Truist wrote.
