New Weight-Loss Drug UBT251 Shows 19.7% Body Fat Reduction in Trial

A new weight-loss drug called UBT251 has shown promising results in a mid-stage Chinese trial. After 24 weeks, participants lost an average of 19.7% of their body weight, far exceeding the 2.0% loss seen in the placebo group. The drug also improved key health markers like waist size, blood sugar, and blood pressure.

UBT251 works by targeting three hormones—GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon—to boost weight loss. Side effects in the trial were mostly mild, involving gastrointestinal issues that lessened over time.

The results were announced just a day after another drug, CagriSema, failed to outperform Eli Lilly's Zepbound in a direct comparison. Novo Nordisk secured global rights to UBT251 in March 2025, agreeing to pay up to $2 billion. Since then, the company has launched a global trial with around 330 participants, with findings due in 2027.

United Biotechnology, the drug's original developer, plans to start a late-stage trial in China. A separate mid-stage study for Type 2 diabetes patients is also set to begin later this year. However, as of February 2026, no late-stage trials for UBT251 are registered or planned with the EMA or FDA. Public databases only list early-phase studies completed before 2024.

UBT251's early success in weight loss and metabolic health has drawn attention, but its long-term prospects remain uncertain. Novo Nordisk's ongoing global trial will provide further data by 2027, while United Biotechnology pushes ahead with late-stage testing in China.