Breakthrough – or even better, revolutionary breakthrough – is perhaps the most overused term in drug development. But the discovery and development of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), which was honored with the 2024 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award just last week, is one of the rare innovations that is deserving of the title.
An innovation that has kickstarted a revolution in the study and practice of health care is getting even more attention. Three scientists who pioneered the discovery and development of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based obesity treatments have been named 2024 Lasker Award winners.
Scientists from the Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and Astrazeneca plc have developed a new mouse model of cardiovascular disease associated with genetic variations of cholesterol metabolism. The animal allows in vivo studies of myocardial infarction, plaque rupture and stroke.
Huadong Medicine Co. Ltd. recently revealed data from in vitro and preclinical studies performed to evaluate the efficacy and pharmacokinetic, safety and tolerability profiles of a dual glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R)/gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptor (GIPR) full agonist – HDM-1005.
The management of obesity and its associated comorbidities needs novel approaches for safety and efficacy. Researchers from Pep2tango Therapeutics Inc. are aiming to face this challenge by developing an approach that promotes superior weight loss through the loss of fat mass only, while preserving the muscle lean mass.
Nanovation Therapeutics Inc. has established a multiyear partnership with Novo Nordisk A/S to advance the development of novel genetic medicines targeting cardiometabolic and rare diseases. The partnership brings together Nanovation’s proprietary long-circulating lipid nanoparticle (lcLNP) technology for RNA delivery to cells outside of the liver, and Novo Nordisk’s expertise in cardiometabolic and rare disease R&D and clinical translation.
Previous research has demonstrated that patients treated with the second-generation antipsychotic olanzapine (OLA) have metabolic dysfunctions and insulin resistance. Researchers from Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas “Alberto Sols” and collaborators investigated the impact of intraperitoneal (i.p.) OLA treatment on peripheral insulin sensitivity as well as potential effects of inhibiting the protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a negative regulator of insulin signaling.
Amylin is a hormone co-secreted with insulin in the pancreas that has anorexigenic effects, since it promotes satiety and reduces food intake. Amylin analogs and dual agonists of the amylin and calcitonin receptors have been developed for treating obesity. Astrazeneca plc reported results with their AMYR3 agonist AZD-6234.
Incretin therapies based on GLP-1 receptor agonism aid in the loss of weight in obesity, but a relevant part of this loss (25%-40%) is attributed to loss of lean muscle mass, which raises the risk of sarcopenia. Keros Therapeutics Inc. has presented data on RKER-065, a novel modified ActRII-Fc ligand trap that inhibits myostatin and activins and promotes muscle formation.
How do exercise and insulin collaborate in metabolism? The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and the Novo Nordisk Foundation recognized the work of Juleen Zierath in this topic with the Diabetes Prize for Excellence at their recent annual meeting.
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