Roche pays $190 million for rights to Hanmi's UCN2 analog targeting obesity with muscle-preserving effects

Roche's Genentech unit has agreed to pay $190 million upfront for rights to HM17321, a urocortin‑2 analog developed by South Korea’s Hanmi Pharmaceutical, covering markets outside South Korea.

The deal follows preclinical studies that showed the compound can induce weight loss while preserving lean muscle mass, a non‑incretin mechanism that Roche finds promising for obesity treatment.

Researchers have long known that activating the CRF2 receptor with UCN2 can protect against muscle atrophy in animal models, and the new data also suggest improvements in muscle function and overall metabolic health.

Roche’s global head of cardiovascular, renal and metabolism product development, Manu Chakravarthy, said the company is excited about the potential to combine weight loss with muscle‑preserving benefits.