Amid intense competition in the next-generation obesity treatment market, Celltrion has unveiled the animal testing results for its new drug candidate that simultaneously targets four different hormones.
Celltrion announced on the 4th that it presented the non-clinical research results for its obesity treatment candidate ‘CT-G32’, developed jointly with Japan’s Scohia Pharma, at the international conference ‘TIDES Europe’ held in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on the 3rd (local time). TIDES Europe is an event where research and development achievements of next-generation pharmaceuticals utilizing peptides used in obesity treatments are shared.
This candidate substance simultaneously acts on four hormone pathways: βΆ Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is involved in appetite and blood sugar control βΆ Gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP) βΆ Glucagon, which affects energy expenditure βΆ Amylin, which increases satiety.
Currently marketed drugs such as Novo Nordisk’s ‘Wegovy’ target GLP-1, while Eli Lilly’s ‘Mounjaro’ targets both GLP-1 and GIP. Celltrion explained that combining four hormones in this manner is a world first.
In non-clinical experiments using obese mice, when administered at the same dosage as Eli Lilly’s next-generation triple-acting agent ‘Retatrutide’, the weight loss effect was greater. In particular, the proportion of lean body mass, including muscle and bone, decreasing was relatively low.
Experiments in primates also confirmed the potential to develop the drug into a once-weekly administration format due to its long-lasting presence in the body. Celltrion plans to submit an investigational new drug (IND) application to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) next February and begin dosing the first patients in the second quarter. A Celltrion representative stated, “We will develop this as a next-generation treatment that encompasses not only weight loss but also body composition and metabolic improvement.”
