– The combination of ASC47 low dose with tirzepatide in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice resulted in an 87% greater reduction in body weight compared to tirzepatide monotherapy.
– ASC47 low dose in combination with tirzepatide demonstrated statistically significantly greater increase in efficacy than ASC47 low dose in combination with semaglutide, 87% vs 55%, respectively, in the DIO mouse model.
– The combination of ASC47 low dose with tirzepatide also restored the body composition of obese mice to the level of healthy non-obese mice. At the end of treatment, the percentage of total muscle mass over the total body weight of obese mice treated with the combination of ASC47 low dose with tirzepatide was similar to healthy non-obese mice, 60.4% vs 62.0% respectively.
HONG KONG, Aug. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ascletis Pharma Inc. (HKEX:1672, “Ascletis”) announces encouraging efficacy results from its study in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice combining ASC47, a first-in-class muscle-preserving weight loss drug candidate for the treatment of obesity, with tirzepatide.
ASC47 is an adipose-targeted, once-monthly subcutaneously (SQ) injected thyroid hormone receptor beta (THRβ) selective small molecule agonist, discovered and developed in-house at Ascletis. ASC47 possesses unique and differentiated properties to enable adipose targeting, resulting in dose-dependent high drug concentrations in the adipose tissue.
The objective of the DIO mouse study was to compare a low dose of ASC47 (9 mg/kg, single dose) combined with tirzepatide (3 nmol/kg, SQ, once daily) against tirzepatide monotherapy (3 nmol/kg, SQ, once daily). The treatment duration in the DIO mice was 14 days. Results showed that the combination of ASC47 low dose with tirzepatide was superior to tirzepatide monotherapy, with an average total body weight reduction of 38.1% compared to 20.4%, achieving 87% more relative weight loss compared to tirzepatide monotherapy (Table 1). In comparison, the combination of ASC47 low dose with semaglutide demonstrated statistically significantly lower efficacy (p=0.006) in the DIO mouse study, showing a 55% greater reduction in body weight compared to semaglutide monotherapy.
Table 1. ASC47 low dose demonstrated greater efficacy with tirzepatide than semaglutide
|
Group |
Dosing |
Total body weight change |
Greater body weight |
|
Obese mice treated |
Tirzepatide, 3 nmol/kg, SQ, QD |
-20.4 % |
– |
|
Obese mice treated |
ASC47, 9 mg/kg, SQ, a single dose + tirzepatide, 3 nmol/kg, SQ, QD |
-38.1% (p |