Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announced that it has entered into a license agreement with F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. for CT-388, a long-acting GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist currently under development for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Under the terms of the agreement, Chugai will hold exclusive rights to develop and market CT-388 in Japan, while Roche will receive an upfront payment and potential milestone-based compensation.
“CT-388 selectively acts on both GLP-1 and GIP receptors. It is expected to provide sustained weight reduction and good glycemic control, offering a potential new treatment option for patients with obesity or type 2 diabetes. Chugai will work closely with Roche to advance the development of CT-388 to deliver it to patients in Japan as soon as possible,” said Dr. Osamu Okuda, Chugai’s President and CEO.
In a Phase I overseas clinical study (CT-388-101 trial), adults with obesity received weekly subcutaneous injections of CT-388 for 24 weeks. Results showed a placebo-adjusted mean weight reduction of -18.8% (p<0.001) at week 24 — a clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement compared to placebo. Remarkably, 100% of participants achieved more than 5% weight loss, while 85% lost over 10%, 70% over 15%, and 45% over 20% of their body weight. The treatment demonstrated a favorable safety profile, with mostly mild to moderate gastrointestinal side effects, consistent with other incretin-based therapies.
CT-388 is currently being evaluated in Phase II clinical trials overseas for patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Chugai stated that it will continue to leverage the Roche Group’s research and development capabilities to accelerate innovation and address unmet medical needs in metabolic disorders.
Also Read
