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Investing.com -- The United Laboratories International Holdings Limited (TUL) and Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) A/S (Novo Nordisk) have entered into an exclusive license agreement for UBT251, a triple receptor agonist under clinical development for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other diseases. The announcement was made on March 24, 2025, in Guangdong, China, and Bagsværd, Denmark.
Novo Nordisk will gain exclusive rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize UBT251 worldwide, excluding Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. United Biotechnology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TUL, will retain the rights in these regions.
As part of the agreement, United Biotechnology is set to receive an upfront payment of $200 million. They are also eligible for potential milestone payments up to $1.8 billion from Novo Nordisk, in addition to tiered royalties on net sales outside of Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president for Development at Novo Nordisk, expressed the company’s commitment to improving treatment options for people with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other cardiometabolic diseases. He stated that the addition of UBT251 to their clinical pipeline would offer important optionality.
United Biotechnology has recently completed a phase 1b trial in China, evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of UBT251 in overweight or obese individuals. The trial enrolled 36 patients in three different dose groups, with each group adopting a dose titration method.
The safety profile of UBT251 was in line with incretin-based therapies, with the most common adverse events being gastrointestinal. In the highest dose group, the average weight of the people who completed the trial decreased by 15.1% from baseline.
Mr. Tsoi Hoi Shan, the Chairman of TUL, expressed his pleasure over the exclusive license agreement with Novo Nordisk. He stated that TUL is committed to strengthening its presence in the treatment of chronic diseases, including endocrine and metabolic disorders, while actively expanding its footprint in global markets.
This collaboration marks a significant milestone in TUL’s ongoing efforts to establish a global strategic presence and demonstrates its commitment to innovation-driven transformation. TUL will continue to foster scientific innovation, advance high-quality and sustainable development, and accelerate the establishment of a globally competitive framework for manufacturing, R&D, and commercialization.
The closing of this transaction is subject to applicable regulatory clearance and other customary closing conditions.
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