Endevica Bio drug candidate shows success in weight loss in new study

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Apr 23, 2024, 08:03 ET

NORTHBROOK, Ill., April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Endevica Bio, a company developing first-in-class peptide drug candidates, announced its novel weight-loss treatment was successful in a recent diet-induced obesity (DIO) rat study.

This latest research solidifies Endevica Bio's status as a world leader in the scientific understanding of the central melanocortin system. The company's proof-of-concept MC4R agonist compound A07D leverages this biological pathway to induce weight loss in DIO rats, both alone and in combination with GLP1s, while allowing the retention of muscle mass.

Additionally, the treatment of A07D was found to provide durable weight loss even after cessation of treatment – suggesting that this approach avoids the problem of weight loss plateau and weight rebound seen with use of GLP1s alone.

Results from the study support the idea that weight-regulating effects such as those advanced by Endevica Bio to address conditions such as involuntary cancer-related weight loss, can also be harnessed to regulate weight in several disease areas in which excess weight may be detrimental, including diabetes and obesity.

Endevica Bio's goal is to advance this platform throughout 2024, and the company's oral agonist portfolio for obesity-related disorders is on track for Phase 1 studies in early 2025.

Meanwhile, Endevica Bio's most advanced drug candidate in the weight modulation space, TCMCB07 (B07), will be entering Phase 2 studies this summer. ASCO and ESMO guidelines now specify body mass management as a critical piece of cancer care, as increased mass may confer survival benefit and an increase in quality of life in cancer patients. For this reason, B07, which is intended to address involuntary cancer-related mass loss, has the potential to become part of the new standard of care in oncology.

Together, the findings on these sister molecules demonstrate how Endevica Bio's peptide engineering resulted in several drug candidates that may safely address multiple indications related to metabolism, weight management, and oncology.

"We're thrilled with the research results showing our drug candidate could potentially improve the lives of millions of people who seek to lose weight," said Russell Potterfield, CEO and Executive Chairman of Endevica Bio. "The positive research findings lend additional credence to Endevica Bio's vision of a new treatment paradigm that will both help those suffering from involuntary cancer-related mass loss as well as conditions in which weight loss is beneficial."

Dr. Daniel Marks, Chief Medical Officer of Endevica Bio, agreed. "The elegance of these peptide-based approaches is that we can engineer them to minimize off-target actions," he said. "The potential of these drug candidates is very exciting, and we look forward to exploring additional ways in which these approaches can address some of the most important diseases humanity faces."

About Endevica Bio

Endevica Bio creates first-in-class peptide drug candidates. Endevica Bio's technology platform, protected by a family of patents and pending applications, allows for the modification of peptides to modulate activity of important drug targets behind the blood-brain barrier. More information can be found at www.endevicabio.com.

SOURCE Endevica Bio