A pill for diabetes? new oral drug aims to rival injections

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Key Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age 18 to 75 years (inclusive), both sexes. 2. Diagnosed with T2DM according to the Chinese Diabetes Prevention and Treatment Guidelines (2024 Edition) for at least 3 months at screening, and meeting one of the following: (1) on stable metformin monotherapy for ≥8 weeks prior to screening, with a daily dose of ≥1500 mg/day or maximum tolerated dose ≥1000 mg/day, in addition to diet and exercise; stable treatment defined as no change in daily dose; (2) glycemic control by diet and exercise alone for ≥8 weeks prior to screening. 3. HbA1c (local laboratory) ≥7.5% and ≤11.0% at screening; and HbA1c (central laboratory) ≥7.5% and ≤10.5% at randomization. 4. BMI 22.5-40 kg/m² (inclusive), and stable body weight for 3 months prior to screening (weight change \<5%, calculated as \[max weight - min weight\] / max weight × 100%). Key Exclusion Criteria: 1. History of type 1 diabetes, diabetes due to pancreatic injury, or other types of diabetes (excluding gestational diabetes) other than T2DM. 2. Acute diabetic complications (e.g., diabetic ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis, or hyperosmolar nonketotic coma) within 6 months prior to ICF signing; history of grade 3 hypoglycemia within 6 months prior to ICF signing, or ≥3 episodes of hypoglycemia (blood glucose \<3.9 mmol/L) from 1 month before screening to randomization. 3. Clinically significant active infection or other diseases (including but not limited to neurological, psychiatric, cardiovascular, endocrine, digestive, respiratory, urinary, hematological, or immunological disorders, except those related to T2DM) within 6 months prior to screening that, in the investigator's judgment, may interfere with trial results or pose additional risks with study drug administration. 4. Endocrine diseases or history that may significantly affect body weight (e.g., Cushing's syndrome, obesity due to pituitary or hypothalamic disorders), or obesity due to monogenic mutations or genetic obesity syndromes. 5. Evidence of significant active autoimmune abnormalities (e.g., lupus or rheumatoid arthritis) requiring systemic glucocorticoid therapy during the trial, as judged by the investigator. 6. Severe chronic diabetic complications at screening (e.g., proliferative retinopathy or maculopathy, painful diabetic neuropathy, intermittent claudication, or diabetic foot). 7. History or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, thyroid C-cell hyperplasia, or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2. 8. Hyperthyroidism (including clinical and subclinical) at screening, or hypothyroidism not controlled with stable medication dose (defined as stable dose for ≥3 months with normal thyroid function tests) based on local laboratory reference ranges. 9. History of acute pancreatitis, or prior chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic injury, or other high-risk factors for pancreatitis. 10. Acute cholecystitis within 3 months prior to ICF signing, or presence of cholecystitis/cholangitis/bile duct stones/multiple gallstones at screening, or gallbladder-related conditions at screening that, in the investigator's judgment, may predispose to cholecystitis (except those who have undergone cholecystectomy and are deemed eligible by the investigator). 11. Dysphagia or history of gastrointestinal disorders affecting drug absorption, including but not limited to gastrectomy or resection of any intestinal segment, severe gastrointestinal disease, or clinically evident gastric emptying abnormalities. 12. Uncontrolled or unstable hypertension at screening, defined as SBP ≥160 mmHg and/or DBP ≥100 mmHg despite regular antihypertensive treatment, or evidence of renal artery stenosis or unstable blood pressure (including orthostatic hypotension). 13. Clinically significant cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases, including but not limited to the following events within 6 months prior to ICF signing or during the run-in period: a. unstable angina; b. heart failure (NYHA class III or IV); c. myocardial infarction; d. coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous coronary intervention; e. uncontrolled severe arrhythmias, such as sick sinus syndrome, second- or third-degree atrioventricular block; f. cerebrovascular accidents, such as cerebral infarction or transient ischemic attack. 14. Hemoglobinopathies or anemia, such as hemolytic anemia or sickle cell anemia. 15. History of moderate or severe depression, or PHQ-9 score ≥15 at screening (see Appendix 2), or psychiatric disorders that, in the investigator's opinion, may affect participation. 16. Electrocardiogram abnormalities during screening or run-in: heart rate \<50 bpm or \>100 bpm; QTcF (Fridericia-corrected) \>450 ms (male) or \>470 ms (female).