The quest for metabolic disease assets continues with another player promising top dollar for novel therapeutics that deliver. Copenhagen, Denmark-based Zealand Pharma A/S entered a collaboration and license agreement with newly formed OTR Therapeutics to pursue next-generation small-molecule therapeutics, beyond the Danish firm’s current peptide pipeline candidates focused on the GLP-1, GLP-2, GIP, amylin and glucagon mechanisms.
Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Hansoh Biomedical Co. Ltd. have described compounds acting as gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptor (GIPR), glucagon receptor (GCGR) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, NAFLD), diabetes and obesity.
The quest for metabolic disease assets continues with another player promising top dollar for novel therapeutics that deliver. Copenhagen, Denmark-based Zealand Pharma A/S entered a collaboration and license agreement with newly formed OTR Therapeutics to pursue next-generation small-molecule therapeutics, beyond the Danish firm’s current peptide pipeline candidates focused on the GLP-1, GLP-2, GIP, amylin and glucagon mechanisms.
Eli Lilly and Co.’s latest phase III results for the obesity and overweight populations suggest its triple agonist, retatrutide, can deliver significant weight loss that, in turn, leads to reduced osteoarthritis knee pain.
A month after besting rival Novo Nordisk A/S in a bidding war for obesity drug developer Metsera Inc., Pfizer Inc. is again adding to its GLP-1 arsenal, this time via a $2 billion licensing and collaboration agreement with Yaopharma, a subsidiary of China’s Fosun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.
With new results from Wave Life Sciences Ltd., Structure Therapeutics Inc. and Ascletis Pharma Inc., obesity management drugs continue to move forward in producing weight loss and move the market.
CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. has obtained IND clearance from the FDA to conduct clinical trials in the U.S. with SYH-2069 for weight management in individuals with obesity or overweight and at least one weight-related comorbidity.
Junevity Inc. has raised $10 million in new funding, bringing its seed financing to a total of $20 million. The new funding will enable Junevity to advance JUN-01, its lead siRNA program for type 2 diabetes and obesity, through IND-enabling and initial clinical studies.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists clearly help patients shed pounds, but many regain all - or more - of the weight once they discontinue the medications. Fractyl Health Inc. could offer an enduring solution with its Revita procedure. Six-month results from its open-label REVEAL-1 cohort of individuals with obesity who lost 15% or more of their total body weight on a GLP-1 therapy maintained that loss after discontinuing the drugs and undergoing the Revita procedure.
Ascletis Pharma Inc. has selected ASC-37 oral tablets as a clinical development candidate for the treatment of obesity. The company expects to submit an IND application to the FDA in the second quarter of next year.
