Dong-A ST’s affiliate Metavia has confirmed the safety and weight loss efficacy of its obesity treatment candidate DA-1726 in a Phase 1 clinical trial, even at high doses. By day 54 of administration, the average weight decreased by 9.1%, with potential improvements also observed in fatty liver-related indicators.
Metavia announced on Thursday that it presented additional data from the Phase 1 clinical trial of its GLP-1 and glucagon dual-action obesity treatment DA-1726 at the EASL Congress 2026, the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).
This presentation showcased results from a Phase 1 multiple ascending dose (MAD) study conducted on healthy obese adults. In the study, participants received either DA-1726 or a placebo for four weeks without dose escalation, with some subjects continuing treatment at the same dose for an additional four weeks.
Results showed that the group receiving 48mg of DA-1726 experienced an average weight loss of 6.1% by day 26 and 9.1% by day 54. Notably, no weight loss plateau was observed through week eight. Waist circumference also decreased significantly, with average reductions of about 2.3 inches and 3.9 inches, respectively.
The drug’s safety and tolerability were also confirmed. There were no serious adverse events or treatment discontinuations, and gastrointestinal side effects were mostly mild to moderate and transient. Despite glucagon receptor activation, no clinically significant changes were observed in cardiovascular-related indicators such as heart rate and QTcF interval.
Exploratory results from non-invasive liver assessments indicated potential improvements in fatty liver indicators, including CAP, liver stiffness measured by VCTE, and FAST scores.
DA-1726 is an obesity treatment belonging to the oxyntomodulin analog class, which simultaneously activates both GLP-1 and glucagon receptors. Oxyntomodulin is a hormone released by the intestines after eating, which helps suppress appetite and boost energy expenditure.
Metavia is currently conducting Phase 1 Part 3 of the clinical trial, employing one-step and two-step dose escalation strategies, with the goal of obtaining data by the fourth quarter of this year.
Kim Hyung-heon, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Metavia, stated that this EASL presentation has reaffirmed DA-1726’s unique potential and competitiveness in treating metabolic disorders, adding that it will continue to evaluate its possibilities in the fields of obesity and MASH.
