Global pharma giant Novo Nordisk has reported striking Phase 2 results for its next-generation diabetes therapy.

The drug, amycretin, targets both GLP-1 and amylin receptors — a first-of-its-kind approach now showing promise for people with type 2 diabetes.

In the company’s first study of amycretin in this patient group, both once-weekly injections and once-daily pills delivered powerful reductions in blood sugar and body weight across 448 participants whose diabetes remained uncontrolled on metformin, with or without an SGLT2 inhibitor.

The trial tested six injectable doses and three oral doses over as long as 36 weeks.

Results were dramatic with injectable amycretin cutting down HbA1c by up to 1.8 percentage points from a baseline of 7.8%, aa up to 89% of participants hit the <7% target and 76% reached ≤6.5%.

Similarly, oral amycretin lowered HbA1c by up to 1.5 points from a baseline of 8.0%, with 78% and 63% hitting those respective targets. Placebo groups saw minimal HbA1c changes (-0.2% and -0.4%).

Also, weight loss was similarly robust, with injectable amycretin triggering up to 14.5% weight reduction, while oral doses delivering up to 10.1%, compared with just 2–3% on placebo. Notably, no plateau in weight loss was observed at week 36 for the higher doses.

Safety results mirrored other incretin and amylin-based drugs, with mostly mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal side effects.

“We are very encouraged by the phase 2 data… The data further validate the potential best-in-class profile of amycretin,” said Martin Holst Lange, Novo Nordisk’s chief scientific officer.

With these results, Novo Nordisk now plans to advance amycretin into a full Phase 3 programme for adults with type 2 diabetes beginning in 2026 — aiming to cement its lead in the rapidly evolving metabolic-medicine landscape.