Celltrion's experimental obesity candidate produced more weight loss than retatrutide at the same dosage in rats, The Korea Herald reported Wednesday, ahead of the company's planned move into human testing.
The comparison measured body composition as well as total weight. In rats with diet-induced obesity, lean tissue accounted for a smaller share of the weight lost with CT-G32/SCO-940 than with retatrutide. Elevated insulin levels in the obese rats also declined.
The findings are preclinical. They do not establish whether CT-G32/SCO-940 is safe or effective in people, or how it would compare with retatrutide in patients.
Celltrion and its Japanese partner SCOHIA PHARMA presented the findings at TIDES Europe, a therapeutics conference in Amsterdam running Nov. 3-5. CT-G32/SCO-940 is designed to act on four hormone pathways: GLP-1, GIP, glucagon and amylin. Celltrion hopes the approach will distinguish the candidate through its effects on body composition and metabolic health as well as weight loss, The Korea Herald reported.
A separate test found prolonged retention of the compound in nonhuman primates. That finding supports its potential for once-weekly dosing, though the dosing schedule has not been tested in patients in the reported findings.
Retatrutide is an experimental triple agonist, while CT-G32/SCO-940 targets four hormone pathways. The reported comparison tested the candidates in rats.
Celltrion plans to file an investigational new drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by February 2027. The company aims to start dosing patients in a global trial during the second quarter.
