Hoth Therapeutics Inc. has entered into an exclusive patent license agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), providing Hoth with exclusive rights to a jointly owned patent portfolio co-developed by the VA and Emory University.
2024 was another banner year for GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) on multiple fronts. They continued to expand into new indications, and provide their developers with both rich remuneration and scientific acclamation. There are now seven approved GLP-1RAs. Commercially, the most successful one so far is semaglutide, sold under the brand name Wegovy or Ozempic depending on the indication.
Wave Life Sciences Ltd. has submitted a clinical trial application (CTA) for WVE-007, an investigational GalNAc-conjugated small interfering RNA (siRNA) designed to silence inhibin βE (INHBE) gene expression, for the treatment of obesity.
Bio-path Holdings Inc. has conducted preclinical studies of BP-1001-A, a drug product modification of prexigebersen, confirming its effectiveness in affecting insulin signaling for the potential treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases in type 2 diabetes patients.
Arbor Biotechnologies Inc. has gained IND clearance from the FDA for ABO-101, a novel gene editing therapeutic designed to address primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1). A phase I/II study in adult and pediatric patients with PH1 is expected to begin in the first half of 2025.
Researchers at Chengdu Brilliant Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Scinnohub Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. have disclosed 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of diabetes, osteoporosis and more.
Scientists from the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami have reported their recent work to develop small-molecule inhibitors of the CD40-CD40L (CD154) costimulatory protein-protein interaction.
Merck & Co. Inc. and Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. have entered into an exclusive global license agreement for HS-10535, a preclinical oral small-molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. Hansoh Pharma has granted Merck an exclusive global license to develop, manufacture and commercialize HS-10535.
Structure Therapeutics Inc. has selected a lead oral small-molecule amylin receptor agonist, ACCG-2671, for the treatment of obesity. ACCG-2671 is a dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist (DACRA) that is being evaluated for use either alone or in combination with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists.