Pharmaceuticals Roche achieves research success with novel fat-lowering drug
Roche has published positive results on its research candidate against severe obesity.
27.01.2026, 12:19
SDA
In a Phase II study, participants who received the active ingredient CT-388 once a week for 48 weeks lost an average of more than 20 percent of their body weight, as detailed in a press release issued on Monday.
A standstill in weight loss was not observed. The higher the dose administered, the greater the weight loss. The effects were particularly clear at the highest dose tested: almost all participants lost at least five percent of their body weight, around half even lost more than 20 percent and a quarter lost over 30 percent.
Drug well tolerated
According to Roche, the metabolism also benefited: in almost three quarters of the study participants with a preliminary stage of diabetes, the blood sugar levels normalized - significantly more than in the comparison group without the active ingredient.
The drug was well tolerated overall. The most common side effects related to the gastrointestinal tract and were mostly mild to moderate. Only a few participants discontinued treatment due to side effects.
Roche sees the results as an important step in the development of new treatments for obesity, one of the biggest causes of chronic disease worldwide. Based on the published data, Roche is now planning to start large-scale pivotal Phase III trials to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of the drug.
