- Melanocortin receptors on neurons in the brain control feeding and weight loss
- Patented peptide molecules delivered orally as a pill can control feeding disorders and weight loss
NEW YORK, Aug. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ANEW MEDICAL, INC. (NASDAQ: WENA) has announced that, as a result of its worldwide licensing agreement with Teleost Biopharmaceuticals and the University of Arizona, it plans to pursue the development of therapeutics using novel proprietary peptides that selectively bind and activate melanocortin receptors on neuronal cells in the brain. The neurobiology of overeating and obesity is well known, and the melanocortin-3 and melanocortin-4 receptors are definitively involved in the control of eating disorders and obesity.
Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that the state of being overweight and obese constitutes the fifth leading risk for death globally. At least 2.8 million adults die each year as a result of being overweight. In addition, 44% of diabetes mellitus cases are attributed to excess weight. Certainly, the discovery by Novo and Lilly of the diabetes medicines based on semaglutide (Ozempic™, Wagovy™, Rebelsus™) have had a major impact on weight loss and obesity, both healthwise for obese patients and financially for the pharmaceutical companies. Semaglutide acts like something your body naturally produces called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). This drug binds to the GLP-1 receptors in your body, making you feel less hungry and more full. It also helps lower blood sugar levels, similar to the function of insulin which it releases from the pancreas. However the side effects of the acute and chronic use of these GLP-1 agonists may, in certain cases, be problematic and not fully understood.
Dr. Joseph Sinkule, Founder and CEO of ANEW, commented: “Through our agreements with Teleost and the University of Arizona, we have licensed patents and know-how to develop pharmaceutical products for weight loss and eating disorders. This program fits in well with our other neuroscience programs and we believe this program is quite compelling. The eating disorders we plan to target will include obesity (overeating) but also cachexia (anorexia or sarcopenia). Studies in animal models of obesity show that we can administer the peptide formulations by mouth (orally) instead of by injection (e.g. the semaglutides) and the authors of those studies have observed weight loss and improved energy levels. Small peptides can be synthesized and administered orally, which we expect to enable these medications to be significantly more affordable than the retail cost of the semaglutides.”
The central melanocortin system in the brain plays a critical role in regulation of body weight. Melanocortins are bioactive peptides derived from a common pre-hormone produced in the brain’s hypothalamic region called “POMC” that is converted to α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), a major regulator in the brain of feeding and weight loss. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the hypothalamic melanocortin system is critical for the maintenance of body weight and energy homeostasis.
About ANEW MEDICAL, INC.:
ANEW MEDICAL, INC. (NASDAQ: WENA) is a biopharmaceutical company specializes in the development of patented, novel disease-modifying technologies targeting the brain and central nervous system (CNS). The Company has obtained exclusive worldwide rights to platform technologies and knowhow to develop cutting-edge peptide, protein, gene and cell therapies to treat age-related pathologies such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, ALS, multiple sclerosis and rare neurodegenerative diseases. The Company is also pursuing other programs and product candidates in the general area of neurosciences. ANEW Medical is managed by a team of individuals and advisors that are highly experienced in biopharmaceutical product development and commercialization.
For more information, contact:
Investor Relations
Eric Boyd
Email: IR@anewmeds.com
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