Halia Therapeutics Reveals Promising Preclinical Obesity Data: HT-6184 and Semaglutide Combination Enhances Weight Loss and Preserves Lean Muscle Mass

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Sep 23, 2024, 08:00 ET

LEHI, Utah, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Halia Therapeutics, Inc. (Halia), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing novel therapies for inflammation-related diseases, today announced promising preclinical results from their investigational compound HT-6184, combined with the GLP-1 agonist semaglutide. The study revealed significant weight loss in a diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model, demonstrating a synergistic effect that enhances weight reduction and preserves lean muscle mass, addressing two critical components of obesity management. Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest compared to fat tissue. Therefore, maintaining or increasing lean muscle mass can help boost the metabolic rate, assisting in more effective and sustained weight loss.

In the 28-day DIO study, mice treated with the HT-6184 and semaglutide combination experienced a notable increase in weight loss. Combining HT-6184 with a subtherapeutic dose of semaglutide (1 nmol/kg) resulted in 50% greater weight loss than semaglutide alone over the study period. When HT-6184 was combined with a higher dose of semaglutide (2 nmol/kg), the combination achieved 25% greater weight loss than semaglutide alone, breaking through the typical weight loss plateau observed with semaglutide during the 28 days. Additionally, the combination therapy preserved lean mass, with a 10% improvement in lean mass preservation compared to the semaglutide-only group by the end of the study.

"These preclinical findings are truly exciting, showcasing HT-6184's potential as a game-changing therapy for obesity," said Dr. David Bearss, Chief Executive Officer at Halia Therapeutics. "Combining HT-6184 with semaglutide enhances weight loss and preserves lean muscle mass—a crucial factor for overall metabolic health. These results bring us closer to a treatment that addresses the complex biology of obesity more holistically."

Key Highlights of HT-6184:

Synergistic Weight Loss: HT-6184, combined with semaglutide, resulted in 50% greater weight loss with subtherapeutic doses and 25% greater weight loss with higher doses than semaglutide alone.
Lean Mass Preservation: Unlike current treatments that lead to muscle loss, the HT-6184 combination helped preserve lean body mass, with a 10% greater preservation than semaglutide alone.
Anti-inflammatory Mechanism: HT-6184 targets inflammation, a key driver of obesity-related metabolic dysfunction.
Potential in Type 2 Diabetes: Preliminary studies indicate that HT-6184 may also offer therapeutic benefits in Type 2 Diabetes by reducing inflammation and improving insulin sensitivity.

Halia will present these findings at the upcoming 22nd Annual Discovery on Target Conference in Boston, MA, on September 30, 2024, at 12:25 p.m. ET. Dr. David Bearss will deliver a presentation titled "Allosteric Modulation of NEK7 to Inhibit the NLRP3 Inflammasome," highlighting HT-6184's mechanism of action, which targets the interaction between NEK7 and NLRP3 to disrupt inflammatory pathways. Dr. Bearss will discuss the potential of these preclinical findings to translate into human trials and the market outlook for obesity therapeutics.

Dr. Bearss will also participate in the panel discussion: 'Novel Kinase Modulators' which will take place on September 30, at 1 p.m. ET.

Halia plans to advance HT-6184 into a Phase 2 clinical trial for obesity later this year. This trial will evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of HT-6184 in combination with semaglutide for weight loss in adults who are obese or overweight with a weight-related comorbid condition.

About Halia Therapeutics, Inc.
Halia Therapeutics is discovering and developing a pipeline of novel therapeutics to improve patients' lives with chronic inflammatory disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, with its initial programs targeting NEK7 and LRRK2. Halia's lead candidate, HT-6184, a novel NEK7/NLRP3 inhibitor, has completed a Phase I study (NCT05447546) evaluating the safety and tolerability of HT-6184 when administered as single or multiple oral doses at escalating dose levels in healthy volunteer subjects and has also completed a Phase II trial evaluating the efficacy of HT-6184 on post-procedure diagnostic biomarkers of inflammation and pain (NCT06241742). Halia is currently undergoing a Phase II trial investigating the efficacy of HT-6184 for the treatment of lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS).

The company's headquarters are in Lehi, Utah. For more information, visit www.haliatx.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter (X).

Company Contact
Halia Therapeutics
[email protected]
+1 (385) 355-4315

Media Contact
Ignacio Guerrero-Ros, Ph.D.
Russo Partners, LLC
+1 (646) 942-5604
[email protected]

SOURCE Halia Therapeutics