Merck & Co. Inc. and Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. have entered into an exclusive global license agreement for HS-10535, a preclinical oral small-molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. Hansoh Pharma has granted Merck an exclusive global license to develop, manufacture and commercialize HS-10535.

Structure Therapeutics Inc. has selected a lead oral small-molecule amylin receptor agonist, ACCG-2671, for the treatment of obesity. ACCG-2671 is a dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist (DACRA) that is being evaluated for use either alone or in combination with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists.

Researchers at the University of Leipzig and ETH Zurich have used single-cell sequencing to identify differences between fat tissue of obese individuals who are metabolically unhealthy, and those who were in good metabolic health. The findings, which were published online Dec. 17, 2024, in Cell Metabolism, identify measurements that can be used to decouple obesity from metabolic disease.

Verge Genomics (Verge Analytics Inc.) has nominated a second development candidate, VRG-201, targeting long-term weight management and metabolic homeostasis. VRG-201 is an oral, first-in-class small-molecule therapy that targets the underlying metabolic pathways leading to abnormal weight gain and the development or worsening of obesity.

Kriya Therapeutics Inc. and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona have published preclinical data for KRIYA-497, a one-time intramuscular gene therapy being developed for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).

Peptidream Inc. has released promising results from preclinical testing of its oral myostatin inhibitors, administered in combination with semaglutide, in a mouse model of obesity.