UBT251: Novo Nordisk's Triple Agonist, Results and Phase 3

What is UBT251, and why did it show up in the news this week? UBT251 is an experimental once-weekly shot that acts on three hormone receptors: GLP-1, GIP and glucagon. It was made by The United Laboratories (TUL) in China and licensed to Novo Nordisk. In a 24-week Phase 2 trial, adults with obesity lost up to 19.7% of their body weight. It is not approved anywhere yet.

The fresh news is that both Chinese Phase 2 trials are now published in the journal Cell Metabolism: the obesity trial online on October 8, 2026, and the type 2 diabetes trial shortly after. Trade outlets such as Inside Precision Medicine called it "Novo's answer to retatrutide" on October 26. Here is what the data say, in plain English.

What is UBT251? The basics

GLP-1 and GIP are gut hormones that calm appetite and help the body handle sugar. Our GLP-1 vs GIP guide explains them. Glucagon is the third piece. It is thought to raise energy use and help burn liver fat. Adding all three in one molecule is the same bet Lilly made with retatrutide.

UBT251 Phase 2 results in obesity

The obesity trial enrolled 205 adults in China with overweight or obesity and no diabetes. About 59% were women. They started at an average of 92.2 kg (about 203 lb) with a BMI of 33.1. They got 2 mg, 4 mg or 6 mg of UBT251 once a week, or placebo, for 24 weeks.

All UBT251 doses also improved waist size, blood pressure, blood fats and blood sugar compared with placebo. These numbers use the "efficacy estimand," which counts people as if they stayed on the drug. Real-world results usually come in a bit lower.

Twenty-four weeks is short. Weight was likely still falling when the trial ended, which is why longer trials matter.

UBT251 results in type 2 diabetes

The second trial enrolled 211 Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes, on diet and exercise alone or with metformin. Their average starting HbA1c was 8.12% and weight was 80.1 kg (about 177 lb). This trial also had a semaglutide arm, the drug in Ozempic.

So in this trial UBT251 lowered blood sugar a bit more than semaglutide 1 mg and roughly doubled the weight loss. People with diabetes usually lose less weight on these drugs, which is normal. If you have diabetes, our GLP-1 and type 2 diabetes guide covers how the approved options work.

UBT251 side effects

Both trials found that the most common side effects were stomach and gut symptoms, mostly mild to moderate, and they eased over time. That matches every GLP-1 type drug so far. The companies have not released exact rates of nausea or vomiting, or how many people quit because of side effects, in the material we could check. We will update this guide when those numbers are public. Our nausea guide covers what helps on approved drugs today.

UBT251 vs retatrutide

This is the most searched question about UBT251. No trial has compared the two. The fairest match is each drug's own 24-week Phase 2 result in people without diabetes.

The UBT251 trial was in Chinese adults with a lower starting weight, so the numbers do not line up cleanly. Retatrutide is at least two years ahead. Our retatrutide guide covers its Phase 3 results. Novo's other big pipeline bet, the GLP-1 and amylin drug amycretin, is already in Phase 3, and Lilly is testing its own amylin combo, EloraTZP.

A newer rival goes one step further: Celltrion's CT-G32 adds amylin as a fourth target, though it has only been tested in animals so far.

When will UBT251 be available?

Here is where each trial stands, based on ClinicalTrials.gov records checked on October 26, 2026.

A US launch would need large Phase 3 trials after those. Realistically, that points to the end of the decade at the earliest, and nothing is guaranteed. There is no US price.

Big weight loss means a muscle question

When a drug can take off close to 20% of your weight, part of that loss can be muscle. Keeping muscle protects your strength and how you look at the end. The habits that help are the same on any GLP-1, approved or not: hit a daily protein target and lift a few times a week. Our protein target guide shows how to find your number.

Sharpy turns that into one protein target, one 20-minute workout and one Shape Score each day, so you can see whether the weight you lose is fat.

A warning about "UBT251 research peptide"

Searches for "UBT251 peptide" and "buy UBT251" are climbing. Anything sold online under that name is not an approved medicine. Nobody checks its purity or dose. The FDA has warned that unapproved GLP-1 products bought online can be fake or contaminated. Our compounded GLP-1 guide explains the risks. If you want treatment now, talk to your prescriber about approved drugs.

The bottom line

UBT251 is a promising triple agonist with strong early data from China and a big partner in Novo Nordisk. It is also early: 24-week trials, mostly in one country, and no detailed side effect rates yet. The 2027 global readouts will show whether it holds up. Until then, the approved drugs and solid habits are what you can use. Sharpy helps with the habits part: protein, a short workout and a simple daily score.

Sources

• Zhou et al. UBT251 in adults with overweight or obesity: phase 2 trial. Cell Metabolism, Oct 2026 (PubMed)
• UBT251 in adults with type 2 diabetes: phase 2 trial. Cell Metabolism, Oct 2026
• Yang et al. UBT251 Phase 1a/1b study. Diabetes Obes Metab, Sep 2026 (PubMed)
• Novo Nordisk and TUL: UBT251 up to 19.7% weight loss in phase 2 (BioSpace, Feb 24, 2026)
• Novo Nordisk: UBT251 HbA1c reduction up to 2.16% in type 2 diabetes phase 2 (Mar 25, 2026)
• TUL and Novo Nordisk exclusive license agreement for UBT251 (BioSpace, Mar 24, 2025)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT07659574, NCT07653477, NCT07395687, NCT07668388
• Jastreboff et al. Triple-hormone-receptor agonist retatrutide for obesity. NEJM 2023