Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
Hanmi Pharmaceutical gets attention with world’s 1st 'muscle-building' obesity drug
Hanmi Pharmaceutical Vice President Chon Hae-min, right, presents research findings on the company’s obesity drug candidate HM17321 during the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting 2025 in Vienna, Friday (local time). Courtesy of Hanmi Pharmaceutical
By Nam Hyun-woo
Hanmi Pharmaceutical is drawing market attention after reporting it has identified the scientific mechanism behind what it describes as “the world’s first muscle-building” obesity treatment.
Korean drugmaker said Tuesday it has announced the nonclinical research results of three novel obesity drug candidates during European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting 2025 held from Sept. 15 to 19 in Austria.
Highlighting the announcement was the study result of HM17321, which Hanmi described as the world’s first-in-class obesity drug that enables “increasing muscle mass while selectively reducing fat at the same time.”
During the announcement, Hanmi presented research data suggesting that HM17321 induces muscle growth by activating the mechanistic target of the rapamycin pathway and promoting metabolic adaptation to be dependent on glycolysis. The research team also found that it helps activate an immune cell in muscle called a regulatory T cell, triggering satellite cells to create new muscle.
The company also said that it conducted long-term administration tests in an obese rhesus monkey model to assess HM17321’s clinical potential, and replicated selective fat reduction while preserving fat-free mass.
Hanmi described HM17321 as a “game-changer,” noting that currently marketed GLP-1-based drugs, such as Wegovy, are associated with inevitable muscle loss.
“HM17321 is being developed as the world’s first-in-class obesity drug that goes beyond merely offsetting muscle loss, aiming to achieve what was once considered impossible — increasing muscle mass while selectively reducing fat,” the company said.
“The presentation at EASD 2025 is a meaningful achievement that scientifically identified the possibility of HM17321, which will enter Phase 1 clinical trial, replicating pharmacological efficacy in the human body.”
Buoyed by the news, Hanmi Pharmaceutical's stock price reached 396,500 won on Tuesday's trading session, which is the highest since January 2021.