Urocortin-2 (UCN2) is a selective corticotropin-releasing factor CRF2 receptor (CRFR2) agonist, which has been previously shown to reduce fat mass while promoting muscle hypertrophy. Hanmi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. presented the discovery and preclinical characterization of a novel CRFR2-selective UCN2 analogue, HM-17321, being developed for the treatment of obesity.
Startup company Pep2tango Therapeutics Inc., unveiled with backing by Versant Ventures, is advancing unimolecular multireceptor peptide agonists that target GLP-1, GIP, amylin and calcitonin receptors.
Fat cells from patients who had lost weight after bariatric surgery, as well as from animals who had gained and then lost weight, were transcriptionally distinct from cells that had not experienced such weight changes at the organism level. In the animal studies, those transcriptional changes were due to epigenetic changes. The findings, which were published online in Nature on Nov. 18, 2024, are a possible molecular-level explanation for the short-term nature of most weight loss.
Apollo Therapeutics Group Ltd. and Sunshine Lake Pharma Co. Ltd. inked a potential $938 million licensing deal for APL-18881 (HEC-88473), Sunshine’s dual fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21)/glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist currently in a phase II study for type 2 diabetes.
Amgen Inc. has shrugged off a Cantor Fitzgerald analyst report that wiped about $12 billion from the company’s market cap. The Nov. 12 analyst report noted supplemental data from the company’s phase I study of obesity drug Maritide showing bone mineral density loss in patients.
Apollo Therapeutics Group Ltd. and Sunshine Lake Pharma Co. Ltd. inked a potential $938 million licensing deal for APL-18881 (HEC-88473), Sunshine’s dual fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21)/glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist currently in a phase II study for type 2 diabetes.
Researchers from Congruence Therapeutics Inc. have described the development of a mouse model of genetic obesity with a clinically relevant, naturally occurring human melanocortin MC4 receptor (MC4R) mutation.
Nearly $3.8 billion was earned by Novo Nordisk A/S and Eli Lilly and Co. in the third quarter for their glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs to treat obesity. Novo’s GLP-1 drug, Wegovy (semaglutide), approved by the U.S. FDA in June 2021, had sales of DKK17.3 billion (US$2.5 billion), while Lilly’s Zepbound (tirzepatide), which is a GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide dual agonist FDA-approved in November 2023, posted sales of $1.26 billion for the quarter.
