Structure Therapeutics Inc(NASDAQ:GPCR) shares are up on Wednesday, probably in reaction to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a similar drug for obesity.

• What’s the outlook for GCPR shares?

FDA Approves Eli Lilly's Oral Weight Loss

On Wednesday, the FDA approved Eli Lilly and Co.’s (NYSE:LLY) Foundayo (orforglipron) for weight loss.

Foundayo will be available via LillyDirect, with prescriptions accepted immediately and shipping beginning April 6, followed shortly after by broad availability through U.S. retail pharmacies and telehealth providers.

Data from the ATTAIN clinical trial program supported Foundayo’s approval.

In the ATTAIN-1 trial, individuals taking the highest dose of Foundayo and who stayed on treatment lost an average of 27.3 pounds (12.4%) compared to 2.2 pounds (0.9%) with placebo.

Participants taking Foundayo, regardless of trial completion, lost an average of 25 pounds (11.1%), compared to 5.3 pounds (2.1%) with placebo.2

In the ATTAIN program, Foundayo also led to reductions in many markers of cardiovascular risk, including waist circumference, non-HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and systolic blood pressure across all doses.

Structure Therapeutics is developing aleniglipron (GSBR-1290), like orforglipron, which is also a glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor.

Structure Therapeutics Aleniglipron Shows 16.2% Loss at 56 Weeks

In March, the company shared positive topline data from the Phase 2 ACCESS II trial.

In the trial, aleniglipron achieved a placebo-adjusted mean weight loss of 16.3% (39 lbs) at the 180 mg dose and 16.0% (37 lbs) at the 240 mg dose after 44 weeks, with no evidence of a weight loss plateau.

Structure Therapeutics drew investor attention after releasing Phase 2 data showing aleniglipron helped patients with obesity lose around 11% of their body weight at 36 weeks, adjusted for placebo, sending shares more than 100% higher.

Ray Stevens, CEO of Structure Therapeutics, shared plans to position the company as a key contender as oral therapies gain traction.

GPCR Stock Price Activity: Structure Therapeutics shares were up 8.15% at $52.18 at the time of publication on Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Image via Shutterstock