Key Summary
- Patients on a 180mg dose of aleniglipron lost up to 16.3 percent of their body weight over 44 weeks, with no weight-loss plateau observed.
- The results suggest the pill could outperform Eli Lilly’s oral candidate, orforglipron, which showed around 12 percent weight loss in similar studies.
- While the market is dominated by injectables like Wegovy and Zepbound, momentum is shifting toward oral treatments that are easier to produce and improve patient adherence.
Structure Therapeutics has said that its weight-loss pill, aleniglipron, helped patients lose up to 16.3 percent of their weight in its mid-stage trial, according to Reuters.
In December, the drug had shown weight loss of up to 15.3 percent at 36 weeks. The company now plans to start a late-stage trial in the second half of 2026.
Patients on Structure's once-daily pill, lost up to 39 lbs on the 180 mg dose after 44 weeks, compared with a placebo, the company said.
Drug developers are racing to enter the highly competitive and booming obesity market dominated by injectable drugs like Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound.
Momentum is now shifting toward oral treatments that are easier to produce and could boost adherence, especially among patients who prefer to avoid needles.
Ahead of the data, H.C. Wainwright's Ananda Ghosh said the readout was the most "significant near-term catalyst for crystallizing M&A interest."
Structure CEO Raymond Stevens said that the company continues to interact with potential acquirers or partners.
Analysts were also looking for limited discontinuations and lower vomiting rates to prove the higher doses are potentially viable treatment options.
"Most critical was the extended tolerability now through median 20 weeks of treatment that appears highly competitive on vomiting and discontinuations while maintaining strong and consistent weight loss," said Seamus Fernandez, senior managing director at Guggenheim.
At least three analysts said the drug showed potential best-in-class weight loss, compared with the around 12 percent that Lilly's oral orforglipron showed.
"These weight loss benefits by aleniglipron represent the highest efficacy to have been achieved by an oral ... comparable to injectable formulations," said Yasmeen Rahimi, an analyst at Piper Sandler.
