Chinese pharmaceutical company Ascletis Pharma Inc (HKEX:1672) reported on Sunday the recent completion of enrolment in the US Phase IIa study for its once-monthly subcutaneous (SQ) depot formulation (treatment formulation) of small molecule GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist ASC30 for the treatment of obesity.

All 65 participants are obese or overweight with at least one weight-related comorbidity.

The Phase IIa study of ASC30 once-monthly SQ depot treatment formulation is a 12-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled and multi-centre study conducted in the United States to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy in participants with obesity (body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2) or overweight (BMI greater than 27 kg/m2 but less than 30 kg/m2) with at least one weight-related comorbidity. The study consists of three cohorts of different doses. Topline data are expected in the first quarter of 2026.

ASC30 was discovered and developed in-house at Ascletis as a first and only investigational small molecule GLP-1R biased agonist designed to be administered once daily orally and once monthly to once quarterly subcutaneously as a treatment therapy and a maintenance therapy for chronic weight management.

ASC30 is an investigational GLP-1R biased small molecule agonist and has unique and differentiated properties that enable the same small molecule for both oral tablet and subcutaneous injection administrations. ASC30 is a new chemical entity, with US and global compound patent protection until 2044 without patent extensions.