▲DealDenmark / US3 Mar 20251 min read
AbbVie enters obesity by licensing an amylin analog from Gubra
One of the few large drug makers without an obesity programme buys global rights to a phase 1 amylin analog.
Holds at Phase 1 The molecule is closer to patients than before.
The readPaying hundreds of millions upfront for a phase 1 molecule is a sign of how crowded the GLP-1 race is. Amylin is where late entrants think there is still room.
The deal
AbbVie took an exclusive global licence to GUB014295, a long-acting amylin analog discovered by Gubra, a Danish company that works on peptide discovery. AbbVie paid $350 million upfront, with up to about $1.9 billion more tied to development and sales milestones, plus royalties.
Why amylin
Amylin is a hormone released with insulin after meals. It slows stomach emptying and tells the brain to stop eating. Early trials suggest amylin drugs can produce weight loss with less nausea than high-dose GLP-1 drugs, and possibly better preservation of lean mass, though that is not yet proven.
| Company | Amylin approach on or near the board |
|---|---|
| AbbVie / Gubra | GUB014295, amylin alone |
| Novo Nordisk | Amycretin, GLP-1 and amylin in one molecule |
| Zealand / Roche | Petrelintide, amylin alone |
Board note
- Stage stays at phase 1.
- Signal up: a large, well-funded owner can run the long trials obesity requires.
- The molecule has a code name only. It will get a generic name if it progresses.
Phase 1 data from Gubra’s trial and AbbVie’s choice of a partner molecule for combinations.
Primary sourceAbbVie and Gubra press releases, March 2025
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