Novel biweekly GLP-1 RA bofanglutide shows strong blood sugar reduction in clinical trial

A phase 2b randomized clinical trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of bofanglutide, a novel glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist for type 2 diabetes, compared to semaglutide. The results showed treatment with bofanglutide led to meaningful reductions in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). While gastrointestinal side effects were more common with bofanglutide, they were generally mild to moderate. Bofanglutide does not currently have US FDA approval. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers funded by Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals randomly assigned 272 adults with type 2 diabetes across 37 sites in China to receive bofanglutide titrated to targets of 12, 18, or 24 mg biweekly (once every 2 weeks), bofanglutide titrated to 24 mg once-weekly, or semaglutide titrated to 1 mg once-weekly. The primary endpoint was change in HbA1c level from baseline to week 24.

After 24 weeks, all bofanglutide dosage groups saw meaningful reductions in blood sugar, weight loss, and improvements in various cardiometabolic risk factors, and in some cases the reductions were slightly greater than those seen with semaglutide. Gastrointestinal symptoms were more frequent with bofanglutide but were mostly mild. The findings suggest bofanglutide may be an effective option for lowering blood sugar, and the 12 mg and 18 mg biweekly target doses will receive further evaluation in ongoing phase 3 confirmatory trials.

Reference:

Ming Liu, Zhifeng Cheng, Li Lu, et al. Weekly and Biweekly Treatment With Bofanglutide Versus Semaglutide in Chinese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Phase 2b Randomized Clinical Trial. Ann Intern Med. [Epub 30 June 2026]. doi:10.7326/ANNALS-25-04623