Ascletis files two FDA INDs for once-monthly obesity drugs targeting amylin, GLP-1R, and GIPR

HONG KONG, July 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascletis Pharma Inc. (HKEX: 1672, "Ascletis") announces today recent submissions of two Investigational New Drug (IND) applications to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ASC36, a once-monthly to once-quarterly next-generation peptide amylin receptor agonist and ASC36_35 FDC, a once-monthly injection co-formulation of ASC36 plus peptide GLP-1R/GIPR agonist ASC35, for the treatment of obesity.

"Eloralintide in combination with tirzepatide recently demonstrated 29.0% weight loss at week 32[1]. However, two separate weekly injections are required; one for eloralintide and one for tirzepatide. In contrast, ASC36_35 FDC, a potentially first-in-class subcutaneous (SQ) injection co-formulation targeting amylin receptor, GLP-1R and GIPR, requires only one monthly injection," said Jinzi Jason Wu, Ph.D., Founder, Chairman and CEO of Ascletis, "Equally exciting, ASC36_35 FDC demonstrated approximately 51% greater relative body weight reduction compared to the co-administration of eloralintide and tirzepatide in a head-to-head diet-induced obese (DIO) rat study. These animal models are highly predictive of human efficacy."

Both ASC36 and ASC35 were discovered in-house utilizing Ascletis' Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Structure-Based Drug Discovery (AISBDD). Both ASC36 once-monthly to once-quarterly formulation and ASC36_35 FDC once-monthly co-formulation are Self-Assembling Lipid Depot (SALD) formulations, developed in-house utilizing Ascletis' Ultra-Long-Acting Platform (ULAP) technology.

In head-to-head non-human primate (NHP) studies, ASC36 SALD formulation demonstrated approximately 6-fold longer observed half-life than eloralintide, supporting once-monthly to once-quarterly SQ administration in humans. In NHP studies, ASC36_35 FDC SALD co-formulation demonstrated long observed half-lives for both ASC36 and ASC35, supporting once-monthly SQ administration in humans.

Preclinical studies have established the superior efficacy of ASC36 injection and ASC36_35 FDC injection co-formulation. In head-to-head DIO rat studies, which are highly predictive of human efficacy, ASC36 monotherapy, targeting amylin receptor, demonstrated approximately 91% and 32% greater relative body weight reduction compared to petrelintide and eloralintide monotherapies, respectively. In head-to-head DIO rat studies, the ASC36_35 co-formulation, targeting three targets of amylin receptor, GLP-1R and GIPR, demonstrated approximately 51% greater relative body weight reduction compared to the co-administration of eloralintide and tirzepatide.

Both ASC36 injection formulation and ASC36_35 FDC injection co-formulation exhibit excellent chemical and physical stability with no aggregation or precipitation caused by fibrillation at neutral pH.

Two IND submissions for ASC36 once-monthly injection and ASC36_35 once-monthly injection co-formulation build upon the recent milestone achieved by ASC35 once-monthly SALD formulation. In June 2026, Ascletis announced U.S. FDA IND clearance to initiate a Phase I clinical trial for ASC35 as a once-monthly SQ treatment for obesity (Press Release), highlighting the Company's robust clinical execution and the potential of its ULAP technology.

[1] Eli Lilly and Company. Safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of eloralintide and tirzepatide co-administered as once-weekly subcutaneous injections [Abstract accepted for presentation at EASD 2026]

For more information, please visit www.ascletis.com.