Obesity is a multifactorial metabolic disorder with limited treatment options capable of sustaining weight loss and improving systemic metabolic health. MicroRNA-22 (miR-22) has emerged as an essential regulator of metabolic homeostasis, influencing lipid biosynthesis, mitochondrial function and brown adipose tissue development. These roles position miR-22 as a promising target for therapeutic intervention in obesity and related disorders such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic disease (MASLD) and its progressive disease state, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).

Genfit SA is discontinuing its VS-01 program in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), and has decided to reprioritize development of VS-01 for urea cycle disorder.

A new generative AI model trained on UK Biobank data can simultaneously forecast the risks and timing of developing over 1,000 different diseases a decade into the future. The developers applied similar algorithmic concepts to those used to develop large language models like ChatGPT and Gemini to build the model, using medical records from 402,799 participants in UK Biobank.

Although the development pipeline for obesity treatments is expanding rapidly, weight loss is often accompanied by a concurrent reduction in lean muscle mass, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic approaches that promote fat loss while preserving muscle. Activin type II receptors (ACTRIIA/B) are regulators of muscle homeostasis, while the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) plays a role in energy balance and adiposity.

Cantoni Therapeutics BV has announced the closing of additional financing to advance its lead asset into IND-enabling studies for obesity and its comorbidities. The company is developing small-molecule inhibitors of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), a promising target for cardiometabolic diseases. Cantoni has also won a Novo Nordisk ValidatioNN grant supporting translational research work on the mode of action of NNMT inhibition.

Rona Therapeutics Co. Ltd. has announced an IND filing with the Australian Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) for RN-3161 for obesity. RN-3161, a novel siRNA developed through Rona’s proprietary GAIA platform, targets INHBE to reduce fat while preserving lean mass.