D&D Pharmatech Announces Positive Phase 2 Results for DD01 in MASH with Robust Reductions in Liver Fat Accompanied by Improvements in Liver and Metabolic Health

D&D Pharmatech, Inc. (D&D) (KOSDAQ: 347850), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing breakthrough treatments for liver and metabolic diseases, today announced positive results from DD01-DN-02 study, an ongoing 48-week Phase 2 trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DD01 (a once-weekly dual GLP1/glucagon receptor agonist) in 67 overweight/obese subjects with MASH. DD01 treatment was initiated with two weeks of dosing at 20 mg, followed by the 40mg once-weekly maintenance dose.

Results of a planned 12-week assessment of safety and efficacy revealed DD01 was well tolerated, and the study’s primary endpoint was met. Following a 1:1 randomization of 40mg DD01 and placebo, 75.8% of subjects treated with DD01 achieved at least a 30% reduction in liver fat, 72.7% of subjects achieved greater than 50% reduction in liver fat, and 57.6% of subjects achieved greater than 70% liver fat reduction (in each case, with p < 0.0001). DD01 achieved a mean reduction of liver fat content of 62.3% vs 8.3% for placebo at 12 weeks of treatment, and 48.5% of DD01 subjects achieved normalization of liver fat fraction (defined as liver fat fraction of 5% or less by MRI-PDFF). No placebo subject achieved normalization.

12 Week Endpoints	DD01 40mg n = 33	Placebo n = 34	P-value vs placebo
Primary Endpoint
Proportion of subjects achieving >30% Liver Fat Reduction	75.8%	11.8%	< 0.0001
Other Endpoints
Proportion of subjects achieving >50% Liver Fat Reduction	72.7%	5.9%	< 0.0001
Proportion of subjects achieving >70% Liver Fat Reduction	57.6%	0%	< 0.0001
Normalization: Proportion of subjects with Liver Fat Value <5%	48.5%	0%	< 0.0001

Treatment related reductions in Non-invasive markers of MASH progression were used to evaluate subjects at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. DD01 treatment was associated with statistically significant improvements in liver stiffness (MRE), pro-C3 levels, and ELF score.

Additional Endpoints

Twelve-week weight loss data were encouraging. While placebo-treated subjects had no significant weight loss, 42.4% of DD01-treated subjects achieving a greater than 5% reduction in weight. Also encouraging were the results of HbA1c testing. While the study population was not selected to be diabetic, following 12 weeks of DD01 treatment, HbA1c reduction was statistically significant compared to placebo.

Safety Results

DD01 was well tolerated. Gastrointestinal (GI) side effects were most common, generally mild to moderate, but transient and manageable. To date, only 3 subjects have discontinued treatment due to GI-related adverse events.

Implications

Seulki Lee, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of D&D Pharmatech, stated, “We have remarkably positive results for DD01 after only 12 weeks of treatment in MASH. The magnitude of improvements is equivalent to what has been achieved only after longer-term treatment with FGF and GLP-1 based drugs already validated with histology data in MASH.”

“Considering the combination of liver and metabolic benefits and the favorable tolerability profile, DD01 has the potential to provide patients and physicians with a MASH treatment that is easy to manage, encourages weight loss and is diabetes friendly.”

Mazen Noureddin, MD, MHSc, Professor of Medicine at Houston Methodist Hospital; Co-Chairman of the Board, Summit & Pinnacle Clinical Research; Director, Houston Research Institutes, commented, “The degree of liver fat reduction with DD01 is striking, with nearly three-quarters of patients achieving at least a 30% reduction and almost half reaching normalization within just 12 weeks. The observed improvement in liver stiffness by MRE, though early, adds further support to the biological activity of this dual GLP-1/glucagon approach, which is designed to act directly on the liver.”

“These consistent MRI-PDFF results provide strong confidence that DD01 has the potential to meet both key regulatory endpoints - MASH resolution and fibrosis improvement - as the program advances. Coupled with favorable metabolic effects and a very low treatment discontinuation rate, DD01 is emerging as a well-differentiated and promising therapy, both within its class and compared to other potent agents in development.”

Additional data will be presented at upcoming medical meetings.

About DD01

DD01 is a once-weekly dual GLP1/glucagon receptor agonist with a half-life of 7-8 days in obese/overweight patients with T2D and MASLD. Following a Phase 1 study that showed DD01 rapidly reduced liver steatosis, improved glucose tolerance, and encouraged weight loss in obese subjects with MASLD and type 2 diabetes, FDA granted DD01 Fast Track Designation for the treatment of MASH. Current Phase 2 results confirm and extend these findings revealing additional benefits in patients with MASH. The effect of DD01 is consistent with its dual-agonist pharmacology. Clinical results show the effects of DD01 are remarkably rapid. DD01 achieves robust results rapidly and with tolerability comparable to other validated MASH treatments.

The GLP1:glucagon potency ratio for DD01 is 11:1. GLP-1R potency is likely an important driver in glucose management for diabetic patients and in weight loss. Importantly, with this ratio, DD01 is clearly also a potent glucagon receptor agonist. Substantial liver fat reduction was observed after only 4 weeks in obese subjects with MASLD (Phase 1). Liver fat reduction by DD01 is clearly not secondary to weight loss at these early timepoints, differentiating it mechanistically from the pure incretin approach. In terms of the balance between efficacy and tolerability, the pharmacokinetics of DD01 are also unique. Good tolerability at clinically active doses is likely aided by very slow absorption (tmax = 6 days) and a long half-life (7-8 days), features which make the onset and rise in DD01 exposure gradual. Peaks associated with poor tolerability and troughs associated with diminished efficacy are avoided. As a result, the need for a lengthy titration period is eliminated and therapeutic levels are reached rapidly. A key differentiator for DD01 is the balanced constellation of clinical benefits afforded by a unique pharmacologic and pharmacodynamic signature. Current data suggest DD01 has the necessary attributes to offer patients and physicians a treatment that is easy to use, supports both liver and metabolic health.

About the DD01-DN-02 Trial

With the support of staff at Summit Clinical Research, the study investigators, and the study participants, the DD01-DN-02 study is fully enrolled and currently ongoing at 12 centers in the U.S. Baseline characteristics were well balanced between both treatment groups with nearly identical mean liver fat fractions (overall mean of 20.7%) and similar body weight (overall mean 99.4 kg) at baseline. Treatment is ongoing and the study includes non-invasive and histologic assessments of MASH resolution and change in fibrosis at 48 weeks. More information about the study is available at www.clinicaltrials.gov under the identifier NCT06410924.

About D&D Pharmatech

D&D Pharmatech is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing revolutionary medicines for patients with a number of metabolic, fibrotic, and neurodegenerative diseases. DD01 and TLY012 are in development for fibrotic liver disease (MASH and cirrhosis). TLY012 has completed IND-enabling studies and has been shown to slow and even reverse established fibrosis in models of liver cirrhosis, chronic pancreatitis, and systemic scleroderma. Two products are in development for neurodegenerative diseases. NLY02 is a small molecule BBB penetrating kinase inhibitor targeting glial activation. It is a potent inhibitor of neurodegeneration. NLY01 is also a potent inhibitor of glial activation. It acts through the incretin pathway to reduce neuronal loss and slow functional decline in models of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and multiple sclerosis. In a recently completed Phase 2 study conducted in >250 Parkinson’s patients, 36-week of treatment with NLY01 resulted in a significant reduction in motor function decline (UPDRS III) in ~1/3 of trial subjects. NLY01 appeared to slow the progressive decline in motor function in newly diagnosed patients who were young (<60) and treatment naïve.

D&D Pharmatech’s ORALINK technology allows efficient oral uptake of therapeutic peptides. In partnership with Metsera, the company is developing orally active incretin-based peptide drugs for obesity.

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