HK Inno.N announced on June 9 that its Chinese partner, Saiwind Biosciences, presented the results of a Phase 2 clinical trial comparing the obesity treatment Eknoglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, at the 2026 American Diabetes Association (ADA) conference.
Eknoglutide is the world's first cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) biased GLP-1 receptor agonist. It is characterized by enhanced signaling selectivity, ensuring both efficacy and safety. HK Inno.N is currently conducting Phase 3 clinical trials for obesity and diabetes treatments in South Korea, with plans to introduce the drug in 2024.
The study directly compared Eknoglutide with Semaglutide, confirming Eknoglutide's clinical superiority in weight loss and key metabolic indicators.
The trial involved 163 obese adults across 17 centers in China, with participants randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive both medications at the same dosage (2.4 mg) via subcutaneous injection once a week.
Results showed that by week 20, Eknoglutide demonstrated a more significant weight loss effect compared to Semaglutide. The average weight loss rate was 35% higher than that of Semaglutide, and the proportion of patients losing more than 10% of their body weight was twice as high.
The least squares mean weight change from baseline was -12.8% for the Eknoglutide group and -9.5% for the Semaglutide group (P<0.0001). The percentage of participants who lost more than 10% of their weight was 74% in the Eknoglutide group compared to 40% in the Semaglutide group (P<0.001).
Eknoglutide also showed superior effects in reducing waist circumference compared to Semaglutide. At week 20, the Eknoglutide group had an average reduction of 10.5 cm, while the Semaglutide group had an average reduction of 8.7 cm (P<0.05), indicating a 20% greater reduction effect with Eknoglutide. Improvements were also observed in other body measurements, including arm and neck circumference, compared to Semaglutide.
Eknoglutide demonstrated good tolerability regarding gastrointestinal side effects.
According to IQVIA's report on the global obesity market in 2025, the sales of obesity treatments in South Korea reached $377 million last year, ranking fifth in the world, following the United States, Brazil, Canada, and Australia.
Kwak Dal-won, CEO of HK Inno.N, stated, "This presentation reaffirmed the potential and possibilities of Eknoglutide. We will do our best to provide new treatment options for patients in South Korea."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.