MetaVia (NASDAQ:MTVA) executives outlined progress on the company’s two clinical-stage cardiometabolic programs during a recent conference presentation, highlighting new obesity data for DA-1726 and ongoing development of the MASH candidate vanoglipol (DA-1241). CEO H.H. Kim said the company is focused on obesity and metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH), and described multiple upcoming catalysts, including additional Phase 1 work for DA-1726 and planned data disclosures for vanoglipol during 2026.
DA-1726 obesity program: Phase 1 results and rationale for another study
Kim said MetaVia released data in January from its Phase 1 obesity program evaluating DA-1726, an oxyntomodulin analog designed to mimic natural gut hormones released after meals. He described DA-1726 as having a “unique ratio of 3 to 1,” combining GLP-1 activity intended to reduce appetite and improve glucose control with glucagon activity intended to increase energy expenditure and potentially deliver direct hepatic effects.
- -9.1% body weight loss at 8 weeks
- -3.8 inches reduction in waist circumference (also cited as -9.8 cm at 8 weeks)
- -12.3 mg/dL change in fasting glucose at 8 weeks
- -23.7% liver stiffness reduction measured by VCTE (as presented)
Kim said the company is planning another Phase 1 study not because earlier dosing failed, but because MetaVia believes there is “room to go up” beyond 48 mg and potentially “catch up” to leading efficacy benchmarks in the category. He emphasized that the 48 mg results, including early efficacy signals and safety without titration, led internal and external discussions to shift from considering alternative indications to advancing the obesity program.
Titration plans and timeline for DA-1726
Kim described the next Phase 1 work as Part III with two titration approaches aimed at improving tolerability and evaluating higher dosing:
- Part III-A (one-step titration): 16 mg for four weeks, then 48 mg for 12 weeks (as described), intended to reduce moderate side effects and produce a cleaner safety profile.
- Part III-B (two-step titration): 16 mg for four weeks, 32 mg for four weeks, then 64 mg for eight weeks.
MetaVia expects to start the titration study in the first quarter or early second quarter, with first patient in around late March to April, and described the trial as a 16-week study. Kim said the company expects data by the end of 2026.
Competitive context: GLP-1/glucagon and triple-agonist landscape
Kim compared DA-1726 to other GLP-1/glucagon programs and Eli Lilly’s triple agonist retatrutide, while noting differences in trial phase and sample sizes. He argued that early signals for DA-1726 compare favorably on weight loss, fasting glucose, and waist reduction versus other GLP-1/glucagon candidates, and said the company is pursuing higher dosing to potentially narrow the gap with “Triple G” outcomes.
He also discussed tolerability, stating that GLP-1/glucagon agents can have challenging safety profiles. For DA-1726 at 48 mg without titration, he reported adverse events including 83.3% mild to moderate vomiting and 50% mild nausea, with no constipation, 16.7% mild diarrhea, and no discontinuations. Kim said MetaVia took a conservative approach to counting vomiting events, including instances where subjects went to the bathroom to spit, and expressed confidence that titration could reduce moderate gastrointestinal side effects given what he characterized as cleaner tolerability up to 32 mg.
In discussing retatrutide, Kim highlighted adverse events of special interest he said were reported, including hypersensitivity, anti-drug antibodies, and cardiac arrhythmia, arguing that if MetaVia can manage gastrointestinal tolerability while improving efficacy, DA-1726 could be competitive.
Vanoglipol (DA-1241) for MASH: endpoints, tolerability, and combination focus
MetaVia’s second program, vanoglipol (DA-1241), is a once-daily oral small molecule targeting GPR119. Kim said the drug met primary endpoints in a Phase 2a trial in presumed MASH subjects and showed “direct hepatic effects,” along with significant HbA1c reduction that he contrasted with resmetirom and other MASH-focused drugs.
He cited improvements including reduced ALT (down 22.8 U/L, as presented) and improved inflammation and fibrosis markers, and said the program was well tolerated with no treatment-related discontinuations in what he described as an approximately 100-patient trial. Kim added that MetaVia plans to release additional vanoglipol data across major medical conferences during 2026 and is actively seeking a combination or licensing partner, describing expected mid-year combination data as potentially “a game changer.”
Operations, partnering discussions, and cash update
Kim described MetaVia as a small U.S. organization supported by strategic partner Dongwha in South Korea, which he said provides scientific support through a research center with roughly 400 PhDs. He argued that this structure helps MetaVia manage cash flow while leveraging in-house origin of the assets at Dongwha.
On financials, Kim reported that MetaVia had $14.3 million in cash as of Sept. 30 (third quarter end), and said the company raised “a little over $9 million” in January. He said the company expects to disclose updated shareholding and details in its 10-K by the end of the next month, and stated MetaVia believes it has enough cash to run through the DA-1726 titration study and into 2027.
During Q&A, Kim said GLP-1 is the current “backbone” of obesity therapy and that new modalities such as amylin approaches and siRNA are typically being paired with GLP-1 therapies. He also said that while Phase 1 studies are small, he believes DA-1726’s trends are likely to translate into larger trials based on patterns observed across GLP-1 development programs.
In closing remarks, Kim reiterated that MetaVia is in discussions with larger pharmaceutical companies regarding both assets and said he believes the company could look “very special” by the end of 2026, while emphasizing again that the additional Phase 1 work for DA-1726 is intended to build on encouraging early efficacy signals and improve tolerability through titration.
About MetaVia (NASDAQ:MTVA)
MetaVia Inc is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on transforming cardiometabolic diseases. MetaVia Inc, formerly known as NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals Inc, is based in CAMBRIDGE, Mass.
