On Thursday, Dong-A ST’s affiliate MetaVia announced that it received approval from the U.S. Institutional Review Board (IRB) for Phase 1, Part 3 of its clinical trial. This trial aims to explore stepwise dosing of DA-1726, a dual-action GLP-1 and Glucagon obesity treatment under development.
MetaVia plans to assess DA-1726’s dosing adequacy in two stages: Phase 1, Part 3A will focus on safely achieving high-dose administration, while Part 3B will further evaluate the dosing strategy.
The trial will involve 40 obese but otherwise healthy adults, divided into two cohorts of 20 participants each. Over 16 weeks, they will randomly receive either DA-1726 or a placebo.
In Part 3A, researchers will evaluate a stepwise dose increase, starting with 16 mg for four weeks, then increasing to 48 mg for the remaining 12 weeks.
Part 3B will follow a two-step increase: 16 mg for four weeks, 32 mg for four weeks, and finally 64 mg for eight weeks.
MetaVia aims to begin dosing the first patients in Parts 3A and 3B this April, with data collection targeted for the fourth quarter of this year.
DA-1726 is a novel drug candidate in the Oxyntomodulin analogue class, being developed to treat obesity.
It works by simultaneously activating GLP-1 and Glucagon receptors, suppressing appetite, boosting insulin secretion, and increasing basal metabolic rate in peripheral tissues. These combined effects lead to weight loss and improved blood sugar control.
In a previous DA-1726 trial, MetaVia reported promising results after eight weeks: an average weight loss of 9.1% (about 9.6 kg or 21.16 pounds), a 9.8 cm (about 3.8-inch) reduction in waist circumference, improved fasting blood sugar levels, and decreased liver stiffness.
MetaVia’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kim Hyung-heon, stated that this IRB approval marks a significant step forward in DA-1726’s development. It will allow us to build on the encouraging efficacy, safety, and tolerability data from the earlier trials, further strengthening the drug’s competitive edge.
He added that this clinical trial will accelerate the progress into subsequent phases and solidify DA-1726’s position as a differentiated, next-generation dual-action obesity treatment targeting both GLP-1 and Glucagon receptors.