Development of a Long-Acting and Stapled Dual Amylin and Calcitonin Receptor Agonist as Monotherapy and Combination with GLP-1R Agonists for the Treatment of Obesity.
Bioconjug Chem · 2026
Last updated 2026-05-28Researchers developed a new long-acting drug called UDA-6, designed to help with obesity by targeting two receptors. In tests on rats, UDA-6 alone led to significant weight loss and improved metabolic and liver health. When combined with two existing drugs (semaglutide or tirzepatide), the weight loss effect was even greater, reaching up to 41% reduction compared to untreated rats.
AI summary of the abstract below.
| Journal | Bioconjug Chem, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Citations | 0 |
| Molecules | — |
| Conditions studied | Obesity |
Abstract
Dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonists (DACRAs) offer a promising strategy for treating obesity and related metabolic disorders but are limited by aggregation and the short half-lives of native peptides. Here, we report the design of a long-acting and stapled DACRA via a streamlined on-resin Ugi macrocyclization strategy based on a salmon calcitonin template. The lead candidate UDA-6 exhibited potent and balanced activation of AMYR and CTR, with enhanced helical stability and favorable pharmacokinetics properties supporting once-weekly dosing. In diet-induced obese rats, UDA-6 elicited substantial weight loss and improved metabolic and hepatic parameters. Combination therapy of UDA-6 with semaglutide or tirzepatide yielded synergistic efficacies, achieving up to 41% vehicle-adjusted body-weight reduction and near-normalized liver lipid profiles. These findings establish UDA-6 as a potent and durable DACRA and highlight Ugi macrocyclization as a versatile platform for the long-acting peptide drug design.
Verbatim abstract via PubMed 41429154 ↗