The multibillion-dollar market potential for obesity medications that analysts expect in the next decade signifies change is afoot for a patient population historically plagued with unsafe options and generally dismissed by investors and insurers. While glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists have paved the way – offering hope-filled patients the first significant non-surgical weight loss benefit upwards of 15% – only a small portion of the obesity population and certain overweight patients are treated with medication, and even a smaller percentage receive insurance reimbursement.
The FDA has cleared IND applications for UBT-251 injection, a long-acting triple-targeted glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/glucagon receptor agonist developed by The United Bio-Technology (Hengqin) Co. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of The United Laboratories International Holdings Ltd., for adult type 2 diabetes and for overweight or obese subjects.
Structure Therapeutics Inc.’s stock climbed 34.6% following a readout of what analysts call “competitive” and “exceptional” phase Ib data at 28 days of oral small-molecule glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist GSBR-1290 in healthy overweight or obese individuals. Shares (NASDAQ:GPCR) rose $12.95 to close Sept. 29 at $50.42. At the same time as the data readout, the San Francisco-based company agreed to a $300 million private placement with several large health care institutional and mutual fund investors, extending Structure’s runway through the end of 2026.
Bariatek Medical SA’s team of inventors reported on a patent for a delivery system for introducing or deploying a gastrointestinal implant, particularly a bypass sleeve used to treat obesity and diabetes.
Obesity is known to be associated with metabolic and cardiovascular disorders such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or heart failure, all presenting a chronic low-grade inflammatory component. The activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway appears to be linked to the development of cardio-metabolic diseases.
Researchers from Nordic Bioscience A/S and Keybioscience AG have published data from a study that aimed to assess the impact of treatment sequencing or combination therapy with the novel long-acting dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist (DACRA) KBP-336 and the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue semaglutide for the treatment of obesity and associated co-morbidities.
European biotech investor Medicxi announced the closure of its fourth fund at $400 million, a sum it said is “deliberately sized” for its asset-focused investment model.
Shionogi & Co. Ltd. has reported aromatic heterocyclic compounds acting as glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists and reported to be useful for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Researchers from Enterin Inc. and affiliated organizations presented preclinical data for ENT-03, an endogenous spermine bile acid with PTP1B inhibitory activity, being developed as a therapy to normalize glycemia and reverse obesity.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a hormone that both acts as a satiety signal in response to food intake and also stimulates insulin release and inhibits glucagon secretion in response to food ingestion. Researchers at Terns Pharmaceuticals Inc. have presented preclinical data on TERN-601, a GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist, in humanized GLP-1R (hGLP-1R) mouse models.
