Novo Nordisk is stepping up its efforts in obesity treatment with a major licensing deal for a new experimental drug, UBT251. Developed by United Biotechnology, a subsidiary of China’s The United Laboratories, the drug activates three key hormone receptors—GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon—and aims to deliver stronger weight-loss results than current options.

Novo is paying $200 million upfront, with the total deal worth up to $2 billion in milestone payments. In early testing, UBT251 helped participants lose an average of 15.1% of their body weight in just 12 weeks.

The move positions Novo to compete directly with Eli Lilly’s retatrutide, another triple-agonist drug that showed 24% average weight loss over 48 weeks. Both companies are racing to develop next-generation obesity treatments that go beyond today’s leading therapies.

“This addition to our pipeline has the potential to deliver improved therapy options for patients with the greatest need,” said Dave Moore, president of Novo Nordisk Inc. in a post on LinkedIn. The company plans to explore UBT251 across a range of chronic conditions, including obesity and type 2 diabetes.

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