Daewon Pharmaceutical will disclose preclinical data for a quadruple-action obesity treatment candidate at the American Diabetes Association. The candidate, which has demonstrated not only weight loss but also the potential to protect pancreatic beta cells and improve kidney function, is intended to accelerate the development of multi-target-based novel drugs for metabolic diseases.

Daewon Pharmaceutical announced on the 4th that it will present preclinical study results for an obesity treatment candidate targeting four mechanisms—GLP-1, GIP, GCG, and gastrin—currently under joint research with Pharmus Biosciences, at the American Diabetes Association scientific sessions “ADA 2026,” to be held in New Orleans, United States, from June 5 to 8 local time.

This candidate is a multi-target-based novel drug pipeline designed to induce weight loss in the course of obesity treatment while simultaneously aiming to protect pancreatic beta cells and improve kidney function.

Existing obesity treatments have raised concerns over the emergence of a weight-loss plateau during long-term administration and the potential for impaired organ function. Daewon Pharmaceutical stated that, through these preclinical indicators, it has confirmed the potential to overcome the clinical limitations of existing metabolic disease treatments.

At the conference, Daewon Pharmaceutical plans to introduce its proprietary design approach for multi-agonists and its differentiated receptor activation profile. The company will also disclose detailed preclinical data obtained from animal models, including changes in body weight, food intake, and blood glucose levels.

The quadruple agonist combines a gastrin receptor activation mechanism with an existing triple-agonist mechanism. A key feature is the addition of the gastrin mechanism to reinforce effects related to cell regeneration and organ protection.

In preclinical trials using diet-induced obese mouse models, administration of the drug led to more than 50% weight reduction compared with the control group by day 22. Fasting blood glucose levels also declined, from 223 mg/dL in the control group to as low as around 70 mg/dL depending on the compound.

Daewon Pharmaceutical reported that these results confirm pharmacological efficacy in terms of both weight loss and blood glucose improvement.

Kim Joo-il, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D at Daewon Pharmaceutical, said, “We have been accumulating preclinical data on a differentiated multi-agonist pipeline in the field of metabolic diseases,” adding, “Based on the integration of the gastrin mechanism, we will develop a novel metabolic disease treatment that not only addresses obesity but also simultaneously achieves recovery of organ function.”

Popular News