Hanmi Pharmaceutical announced on June 10 that it will participate in ADA 2025, the upcoming American Diabetes Association Conference to be held from June 20 to 23 in Chicago. The company plans to unveil a total of six preclinical and clinical research results related to its next-generation triple-action obesity treatment ‘HM15275’ and a novel obesity drug ‘HM17321.’
A key highlight of the event will be the world premiere of the clinical 1-stage trial results for HM15275, which have never been disclosed before. Both HM15275 and HM17321 are seen as promising follow-up pipelines to ‘Efeglinattide,’ set for commercial launch in the second half of 2026. These candidates are recognized as ‘Best-in-Class’ and ‘First-in-Class’ respectively within their categories.
At ADA 2025, Hanmi will present data on the clinical 1-stage results of HM15275, its potent weight loss effects and mechanisms demonstrated in obese animal models, and the improvements in body composition and metabolic parameters through combined use of HM15275 and HM17321. The company will also showcase how HM15275 improves weight loss quality, alongside the metabolic benefits of HM17321, including blood sugar control and increased basal metabolic rate. The potential synergistic effects of combined therapy will also be highlighted.
A Hanmi official emphasized that this conference marks a key moment for the ‘H.O.P (Hanmi Obesity Pipeline)’ project, aiming to introduce the core pipeline to the global market and showcase Hanmi's leadership in R&D within the metabolic disorder field.
Hanmi is actively accelerating its development of patient-customized solutions across all stages of obesity treatment. The company possesses multiple candidate molecules designed to address diverse patient needs and overcome limitations of existing therapies.
During ADA 2025, numerous Hanmi R&D researchers will participate in presenting posters and introducing innovative obesity drug paradigms, fostering potential collaborations with leading global pharmaceutical companies.
HM15275, Hanmi’s next-generation drug, is expected to deliver a weight loss of over 25% with minimal muscle loss, comparable to surgical levels of obesity treatment. In preclinical data released at ADA 2024, HM15275 showed stronger efficacy than existing treatments like semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Zepbound), with a favorable impact on fat vs. lean mass.
Based on these positive results, Hanmi plans to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial later this year to validate the long-term effects on weight reduction and body composition improvements in patients with obesity and related metabolic disorders. If successful, this drug could surpass current limitations and become a leading treatment in the field.
Hanmi is also developing HM17321, a novel obesity drug based on UCN-2 (Urocortin 2), which selectively targets the CRF2 (corticotropin-releasing factor 2) receptor, distinct from the traditional incretin receptors. Designed to promote fat loss while simultaneously increasing muscle mass, HM17321 represents an innovative mechanism of action.
This drug, constructed using Hanmi’s AI and structural modeling technologies, achieves high receptor selectivity and precision. Preclinical results presented at Obesity Week last November demonstrated that HM17321 induces weight loss comparable to semaglutide while increasing muscle and lean mass.
At ADA 2025, research will further verify that HM17321 not only improves blood sugar levels but also enhances basal metabolic rate and other key metabolic parameters — supporting its potential as a ‘First-in-Class’ therapy. Moreover, HM17321 exhibits promising results as both a monotherapy and in combination with existing incretin-based treatments, broadening its clinical application prospects. The company aims to commence Phase 1 trials in the second half of this year.
Additionally, global patent analyses from GlobalData and IFI CLAIMS show that Hanmi ranks highly worldwide in both the quantity and quality of its obesity-related patent filings, demonstrating competitive technological strength comparable to top global pharma firms like Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.
Hanmi’s R&D Center Director, Inyoung Choi, stated, “ADA 2025 is a critical stage that validates Hanmi’s accumulated expertise in metabolic and endocrine innovative drugs and its global competitiveness. We will lead the global obesity treatment paradigm by developing novel mechanisms, and we are committed to bringing our new obesity drugs to market in the shortest possible time.”
