HK inno.’s ecnoglutide outperforms semaglutide in obesity trial

HK inno., in partnership with China’s SciWind Biosciences, presented phase‑2 results for the GLP‑1‑based obesity drug ecnoglutide at the 2026 American Diabetes Association meeting in New Orleans. The double‑blind study enrolled 163 obese adults across 17 Chinese centers, randomising participants to weekly 2.4 mg injections of ecnoglutide or semaglutide for 20 weeks.

At week 20, ecnoglutide achieved an average weight loss of 12.8 % versus 9.5 % for semaglutide – a 35 % higher reduction. Seventy‑four percent of ecnoglutide‑treated patients lost at least 10 % of body weight, compared with 40 % on semaglutide. Waist circumference fell 10.5 cm versus 8.7 cm, and overall tolerability, especially gastrointestinal side effects, was reported as superior for ecnoglutide.

Research leader Prof. Linong Ji (Beijing University) said the data “demonstrate that a biased‑GLP‑1 receptor agonist can achieve clinical superiority over existing therapy.” HK inno. CEO Kwak Dal‑won added the results confirm the drug’s potential and the company’s commitment to bring a new treatment option to patients. The firm licensed the compound in 2024 and is now advancing it into a Korean phase‑3 trial.