Factbox: Fat, not muscle: drugmakers in race for next weight-loss breakthrough

PMGC Holdings

19/02/2025 11:00

Feb 19 (Reuters) - Current weight-loss methods such as
lifestyle changes, surgery, and popular therapies like Novo
Nordisk's  NOVOb.CO  Wegovy and Eli Lilly's  LLY.N 
Zepbound result in both fat and muscle loss that can increase
the risk of falls and decrease overall strength, which could be
especially harmful for older patients. 
The following companies are developing weight-loss treatments
that help preserve or grow muscles while patients shed pounds: 
       
     Eli Lilly 
  
   The U.S. drugmaker spent nearly $2 billion in 2023 to acquire
Versanis Bio's bimagrumab, which prevents the activity of a
protein called myostatin to help preserve muscle. 
   Lilly is testing bimagrumab alone and in combination with
Novo's Wegovy -- a mid-stage trial begun before the acquisition
-- with a main goal of change in total body weight. It is also
partnering with China-based Laekna  2105.HK  to develop a
similar drug.
     
   Regeneron 
    Regeneron  REGN.O  is testing its drug, trevogrumab, along
with Wegovy and another treatment, garetosmab, in a three-part
study with healthy and obese participants. Trevogrumab is an
antibody that belongs to the same class of treatments as Lilly's
bimagrumab. 
    The study, expected to be completed next year, has a main
goal of change in body weight, but also will measure change in
fat mass, waist circumference, body composition, and thigh
muscle volume. It is expected to be completed next year. 
       
   Scholar Rock 
The drug developer  SRRK.O  is testing apitegromab, an
experimental therapy that targets the myostatin protein,
alongside GLP-1 treatments. Its drug helped improve motor
function for patients with spinal muscular atrophy in a
late-stage study. 
    The mid-stage study plans to enroll 100 patients and
evaluate changes in total lean mass, or fat-free mass. Secondary
goals include changes in body weight and various types of fat. 
       
   Roche
       Swiss drugmaker Roche  ROG.S  began a study last year of
its experimental drug, RG6237, as a monotherapy in people with
high body weight. The drug, known as an anti-latent myostatin,
works by eliminating an inactive form of the protein from the
blood.
    Roche plans to start a mid-stage trial this year combining
the drug and its own GLP-1 weight-loss drug candidate CT-388. 
    
       
  
     Biohaven 
  
    Biohaven  BHVN.O  is evaluating its myostatin targeting
drug, taldefgrobep alfa, in an early-stage obesity trial.
The drug recently failed to improve motor function in patients
with spinal muscular atrophy, but helped cut total body fat mass
and showed numerically larger increases in lean mass and bone
density compared to placebo. 
    It said it plans to rapidly advance a mid-stage study of the
drug in patients with obesity. 
     
  
    Keros Pharma 
  
    Keros'  KROS.O  drug, KER-065, which targets myostatin and
activin A proteins, increased lean mass and reduced fat mass in
obese mice when given alone and in combination with semaglutide,
the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic.
    Keros said it will assess the drug's safety in an
early-stage study of male patients with obesity. Data from this
study is expected in the first quarter of 2025. 
     
    Elevai Biosciences 
  
    Elevai Biosciences, a unit of PMGC Holdings  ELAB.O ,
acquired two myostatin targeting drugs - EL-22 and EL-32 - from
South Korean firm MOA Life Plus  142760.KQ  last year. 
    The company, previously known as Elevai Labs, plans to seek
an FDA green light to begin human studies this year for both
experimental drugs in combination with GLP-1 treatments.
     
    Veru
  
   Veru's  VERU.O  oral drug, enobosarm, targets the androgen
hormones that play a role in body development and reproductive
health. In a mid-stage study, patients who received the drug
along with Wegovy lost 71% less lean, or muscle, mass on average
than those who received Wegovy and a placebo over 16 weeks. 
    The company will test whether its drug can improve stair
climb power in patients aged 60 and older in a larger,
late-stage study. 
     
    35 Pharma
  
    Montreal, Canada-based 35Pharma plans to test the safety of
its experimental drug, HS235, in an early-stage study. The
treatment targets activin and GDF ligands - two proteins that
play a key role in regulating skeletal muscle, blood and bone
metabolism. Data from this study is expected in the second half
of this year. 
     
    Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals 
  
    Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals  ARWR.O  has two RNA-based obesity
drugs in its pipeline - ARO-INHBE and ARO-ALK7 - that intervene
in a pathway that signals the body to store fat. The company
plans to evaluate ARO-INHBE in human studies this year, both as
a monotherapy and in combination with Lilly's tirzepatide, the
active ingredient in Zepbound and diabetes drug Mounjaro. 
     
    Six Peaks/AstraZeneca 
  
AstraZeneca  AZN.L  in May 2024 agreed to pay up to $80 million
to SixPeaks Bio to work with the Swiss biotech start-up on its
antibody that targets activin cell receptors to preserve muscle
mass in people on weight-loss therapy.  Under the deal, Astra
also obtained certain exclusive rights to acquire SixPeaks. 
    
       
  

(Reporting by Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru and Ludwig Burger in
Frankfurt; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
((mailto:Bhanvi.Satija@thomsonreuters.com; Outside U.S. +91
9873062788;))