Ribupatide, also known as HRS9531 or KAI-9531-T, is the once-daily oral GLP-1/GIP dual receptor agonist Hengrui Pharma developed in China and licensed to Kailera Therapeutics for global rights. The drug shares its dual incretin mechanism with Lilly's injectable tirzepatide, but in tablet form, positioning it directly against Lilly's Foundayo (orforglipron) and Structure's aleniglipron in the oral-incretin contest.
Phase 2 data published in February 2026 showed up to 12.1% mean weight loss at 26 weeks in 166 Chinese adults with obesity, with no observed plateau and up to 38.6% of participants reaching at least 15% weight loss. Vomiting was reported in 11.4% (25 mg) and 7.5% (50 mg) of dose arms. Hengrui plans to advance ribupatide rapidly into Phase 3 in China, while Kailera intends to launch a global Phase 2 in 2026.
Stories here cover ribupatide trial readouts and the China-led oral-incretin race. See #hengrui, #kailera-therapeutics, and #oral-glp-1 for adjacent threads.
Monday's data sharpened the oral GLP-1 competitive map. Lilly's Foundayo (orforglipron) leads with a Phase 3 head-to-head win over oral semaglutide and a Q2 FDA filing pending. Structure's aleniglipron sits closest, with 16.3% Phase 2b weight loss and Nature Medicine publication on Friday. AstraZeneca's elecoglipron just cleared Phase 2b. Chinese entrants Hengrui-Kailera (ribupatide, HRS-7535) added Phase 2 and 3 readouts. Novo's Wegovy pill remains the only currently-approved oral, but the next-wave field is now broad and head-to-head data are arriving fast.
The American Diabetes Association's 86th Scientific Sessions run June 5-8, with a Phase 3 retatrutide symposium June 6 (TRIUMPH-1 and TRANSCEND-T2D-1) and a Foundayo/orforglipron symposium June 8. Beyond Lilly and Novo, the oral-incretin race fills the program: Structure's aleniglipron, Hengrui and Kailera's oral GLP-1/GIP ribupatide (up to 12.1% in Phase 2), and Boehringer/Zealand's survodutide SYNCHRONIZE-1 in obesity. More than 12,000 attendees are expected.
Obesity biotech Kailera Therapeutics priced an upsized IPO of 39.06 million shares at $16, raising $625 million — the largest venture-backed biopharmaceutical IPO since Acelyrin in 2023. Lead candidate ribupatide (a GLP-1/GIP peptide dual agonist) drove 18% body weight loss at 48 weeks in a late-stage Chinese study; global Phase 3 readout expected in 2028.