Structure Therapeutics' Oral GLP-1 Shows 15% Weight Loss, Positioning It Against Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk
**Aleniglipron data positions Structure as third player in race for oral obesity drugs** --- In the heated race to develop oral GLP-1 drugs for obesity, a third contender is emerging. Structure Therapeutics reported Phase 2 data this week for aleniglipron, its once-daily oral small molecule GL...
Aleniglipron data positions Structure as third player in race for oral obesity drugs
In the heated race to develop oral GLP-1 drugs for obesity, a third contender is emerging.
Structure Therapeutics reported Phase 2 data this week for aleniglipron, its once-daily oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, showing up to 15.3% placebo-adjusted weight loss at 36 weeks in the high-dose arm. The data positions the company as a potential third player in a market dominated by Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.
The 120mg dose achieved 11.3% placebo-adjusted weight loss (27.3 pounds) at 36 weeks in the Phase 2b ACCESS study, meeting its primary endpoint with statistical significance (p<0.0001). The higher 240mg dose, tested in an exploratory study, showed up to 15.3% weight loss (35.5 pounds) with no evidence of a plateau at 36 weeks.
"The weight loss data at 36 weeks with no weight loss plateau is potentially best-in-class for oral small molecule GLP-1s," said Raymond Stevens, Ph.D., CEO of Structure Therapeutics, in a December 2025 press release.
The structural biologist behind it
Stevens is a structural biologist who has spent decades studying G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) — the same target class as GLP-1. He founded Structure Therapeutics in 2019, building the company around a structure-based drug discovery platform designed to develop oral small molecules that can compete with injectable biologics and peptides.
The company's approach differs from both Novo Nordisk (oral semaglutide/Wegovy pill) and Eli Lilly (orforglipron). Both aleniglipron and orforglipron are nonpeptide small molecules, which the companies say absorb more readily in the gut without breaking down in the stomach — a key challenge for peptide-based oral GLP-1s.
Competitive landscape
The oral GLP-1 space is heating up:
The key differentiator may be accessibility. Oral drugs don't require needles or cold storage, potentially expanding access to patients who fear injections or live far from specialty pharmacies.
"Once-daily oral, non-peptide, small molecule GLP-1 RAs such as aleniglipron have the potential to transform obesity treatment and broaden access," said Julio Rosenstock, MD, chair of the ACCESS program steering committee.
What's next
Structure plans to meet with the FDA in the first half of 2026 and advance into Phase 3 clinical development by mid-2026. The company will need to demonstrate efficacy and safety in larger trials — and compete for the same patients and payors as two of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.
The stock has declined 23% over the past 30 days, suggesting investors are cautious about the path ahead. But with obesity affecting more than 40% of U.S. adults and oral options still limited, the market opportunity is massive.
What we don't know:
