Novo Nordisk A/S, a leading global healthcare company, has successfully completed a phase 2a clinical trial for monlunabant, an oral small molecule cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) inverse agonist, aimed at treating obesity. The trial, which included 243 participants with obesity and metabolic syndrome, demonstrated statistically significant weight loss across all doses of monlunabant compared to placebo after 16 weeks. The highest weight loss achieved was 7.1 kg with a 10 mg daily dose. While higher doses did not result in much additional weight loss, they were associated with dose-dependent mild to moderate gastrointestinal and neuropsychiatric side effects. No serious adverse events related to neuropsychiatric effects were reported. Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president and head of Development at Novo Nordisk, highlighted the need for further...Show More

Novo Nordisk A/S, a leading global healthcare company, has successfully completed a phase 2a clinical trial for monlunabant, an oral small molecule cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) inverse agonist, aimed at treating obesity. The trial, which included 243 participants with obesity and metabolic syndrome, demonstrated statistically significant weight loss across all doses of monlunabant compared to placebo after 16 weeks. The highest weight loss achieved was 7.1 kg with a 10 mg daily dose. While higher doses did not result in much additional weight loss, they were associated with dose-dependent mild to moderate gastrointestinal and neuropsychiatric side effects. No serious adverse events related to neuropsychiatric effects were reported. Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president and head of Development at Novo Nordisk, highlighted the need for further research to optimize dosing for safety and efficacy. Following these results, Novo Nordisk plans to initiate a larger phase 2b trial in 2025 to explore longer-term dosing and safety in a global population. Monlunabant's mechanism of action targets metabolism and appetite regulation, which could address the significant unmet need in obesity treatment.