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HM17321 is being evaluated in an ongoing Phase I trial. Credit: OleksSH/Shutterstock.com. Roche has conducted its joint-largest deal of the year so far, licensing a clinical-stage UCN2 (urocortin-2) analog being developed for weight loss by South Korea-based Hanmi Pharm. The Swiss big pharma company is paying Hanmi $190m upfront for HM17321, with development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments taking the potential total deal value to $2.3bn. In exchange, Roche’s Genentech will take on development, manufacturing, and commercialisation duties. Under the licensing agreement, Hanmi will still be responsible for completing an ongoing Phase I clinical trial, after which Genentech will take over development, starting with Phase II clinical trials. In November 2025, Hanmi received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate clinical trials with HM17321. The ongoing clinical study (NCT07219589) is evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of HM17321 in healthy volunteers and individuals with obesity. UCN2 is a neuropeptide and hormone that binds to the corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 2 (CRHR2). UCN2 has been known to reduce rates of muscle atrophy, which is why it has emerged as a promising mechanism of action for weight loss treatments. Despite the efficacy and popularity of current obesity therapies, researchers are seeking to reduce the loss of muscle mass with next-generation options. In-Young Choi, senior executive vice president, head of Hanmi’s R&D Division, stated: “The paradigm of obesity treatment is evolving beyond simple weight reduction toward improving body composition and restoring metabolic health. We are very pleased that the differentiated scientific mechanism and development potential of HM17321 have been recognised by the global market.” Approved weight loss drugs predominantly target glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors (GLP-1s) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), meaning Hanmi is bringing a new mechanism of action to the table. Eli Lilly previously had a UCN2 peptide in development for heart failure treatment but culled the Phase I programme without divulging the reasons in 2019. Roche will be hoping for a longer clinical journey for its newly licensed asset. According to Hanmi, HM17321 has already shown both quantitative and qualitative improvements in weight reduction when used as a monotherapy and in combination with GLP-1-based therapies in preclinical studies. The company added that HM17321 may also have future potential for use in fixed-dose combination (FDC) products or combination regimens with incretin-based treatments. Boris Zaïtra, head of corporate business development at Roche, said: “By licensing this next-generation investigational therapy with first-in-class potential from Hanmi, Roche and Genentech will pursue a differentiated approach to selectively reduce fat mass while improving both muscle mass and muscle function. We look forward to further developing this medicine in order to address important unmet needs for people living with obesity and other metabolic diseases.” The deal marks a bolstering of Roche’s weight loss portfolio as it aims to become one of the top companies in the weight loss market. Roche’s lead obesity candidate is CT-388, brought in house – among other assets – via a $2.7bn acquisition of Carmot Therapeutics in 2023. Roche’s pipeline also includes emugrobart, an anti-myostatin antibody targeting muscle growth. While the company dropped Phase III plans in two muscle wasting diseases, obesity studies with the drug are ongoing. Eli Lilly, however, will still take some beating across the wider obesity space. Revenue for the drugmaker in Q2 2026 reached $23bn , a surge of 48% from the same period last year, buoyed by continued sales growth for its injectable weight loss drugs. According to GlobalData’s Obesity: Seven-Market Drug Forecast and Market Analysis – Update , the obesity market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32.3% until 2031, reaching sales of $173.5bn across the seven major markets (7MM: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK and the US). GlobalData is the parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology.

iStock, ~UserGI15633745 After committing $2 billion to a new North Carolina facility to boost capacity for its next-gen obesity candidates, Roche’s Genentech is putting down more cash to expand a device fill-finish site in Oregon. Roche’s Genentech is pledging $750 million to double the size of its Oregon manufacturing site and create more jobs, a move designed to expand the company’s capacity to make injectable medicines and delivery devices. The facility is located at a 75-acre Hillsboro campus, with the expansion expected to generate 250 manufacturing roles and 200 construction jobs in Oregon, according to a Thursday release . Commercial operation is slated to start in 2031. The investment is supposed to create new end-to-end device filling capabilities to support the future pipeline at both Roche and Genentech, with Roche specifically mentioning pre-filled syringe and autoinjector capacities. The Hillsboro commitment follows the start of construction on Genentech’s new manufacturing site in Holly Springs, North Carolina, a facility designed to support global production of future metabolic medicines. Roche is investing $2 billion in the plant to support its ambitions to become a top three player in obesity. While Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have already clinched two of those positions, at least for now, Roche is investing heavily in weight loss drug development with the belief that the massive market can support at least three major players. The Holly Springs location is expected to open in 2029, timing that aligns with Roche’s five mid- to late-stage obesity candidates. That includes CT-388 , a dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist that uses the same mechanism of action as Lilly’s market-leading Mounjaro and Zepbound. Manufacturing Roche Raises NC Manufacturing Investment to $2B To Support Obesity Challenge Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, plans to open the facility in 2029 to ramp up capacity to make obesity candidates, including the dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist CT-388. January 21, 2026 · 2 min read · Nick Paul Taylor Read more Roche and Genentech currently operate 13 manufacturing sites in the U.S., according to the release. While the manufacturing investments are expected to create new jobs, the Big Pharma has also cut staffers—specifically at Genentech. In July, the South San Francisco–based subsidiary laid off 103 people at its headquarters, hitting roles in research and early development, plus other parts of the business. “Our hiring approach reflects the capabilities, expertise, and areas of science that are most critical to advancing our portfolio and delivering transformative medicines to patients now and in the future,” a company spokesperson told BioSpace at the time. The layoffs included the departure of high-pro Vishva Dixit , who had been with Genentech since 1997. He most recently served as vice president and senior fellow, physiological chemistry, research biology.