Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) has announced the successful completion of its phase 2a clinical trial for monlunabant, a cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) inverse agonist aimed at treating obesity.
Over 16 weeks, significant weight loss was observed in participants, with a daily 10 mg dose resulting in an average weight reduction of 7.1 kg compared to 0.7 kg with placebo.
"The phase 2a results indicate the weight-lowering potential of monlunabant and that further work is needed to determine the optimal dosing to balance safety and efficacy,” stated Martin Holst Lange, Novo Nordisk’s executive vice president and head of Development.
Following these promising results, Novo Nordisk plans to launch a larger phase 2b trial in 2025 to further explore the optimal dosage and safety profile of monlunabant over a more extended period in a global population.
Following the announcement, Novo Nordisk's share price dropped over 5% to $127.52