Huadong Medicine has initiated its first head-to-head Phase III clinical trial for its GLP-1/GIP dual agonist, poterepatide. The multi-centre, randomised, open-label study will enrol 912 patients to compare the efficacy and safety of weekly subcutaneous injections of poterepatide against mazdutide, a GLP-1/GCGR dual agonist developed by Innovent Biologics. The primary endpoint is the change in haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) from baseline in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) inadequately controlled by metformin alone or in combination with an SGLT2 inhibitor.

Poterepatide is designed to activate both the GLP-1 and GIP receptors to improve glycaemic control and promote weight loss. The candidate has shown promising weight loss efficacy in a Phase II study, with participants losing over 13% of their body weight after 22 weeks of treatment. Mazdutide, approved in China in September 2025 for T2D and weight management, is a different dual agonist targeting the GLP-1 and glucagon receptors.

According to PharmCube's NextBiopharm® database, poterepatide ranks 8th globally among GLP-1/GIP dual agonists in terms of development. Click here to request a free trial for NextBiopharm®.