GI Dynamics : Novel Non-Surgical Therapy Dramatically Increases Weight Loss in Obese Patients; Results from Pilot Clinical Study Presented at ASMBS

June 26, 2009 – EndoBarrier ™ Gastrointestinal Liner Plus Flow Restrictor Facilitates Substantial Excess Weight Loss; Median %EWL of 39.6 Percent - GI Dynamics, a leader in non-surgical treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity, announced results from a pilot clinical study which demonstrated the substantially enhanced weight loss effects of combining the company’s EndoBarrier Gastrointestinal Liner with a new EndoBarrier Flow Restrictor. The EndoBarrier Flow Restrictor provides an adjustable restriction at the outlet of the stomach and is designed to delay gastric emptying, an additional mechanism which adds to the therapeutic effects of the liner. The results were presented at the 26th annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS)... (Word) GI Dynamics' Press Release -

Boehringer Ingelheim and DeveloGen AG : agreement in the field of diabetes, obesity and the metabolic syndrome

May 13th, 2009 - Boehringer Ingelheim and DeveloGen AG, announced the signing of an asset sale and purchase and collaboration agreement in the field of diabetes, obesity, the metabolic syndrome and other insulin resistance associated disorders...

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About DeveloGen
DeveloGen AG is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of metabolic and endocrine diseases. The Company has a highly innovative and deep preclinical discovery pipeline addressing the key drivers in the development of diabetes and obesity such as insulin resistance and loss of insulin-producing beta cells...

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About Boehringer Ingelheim
The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 138 affiliates in 47 countries and 41,300 employees... [PDF] DeveloGen's Press Release - Boehringer Ingelheim's Press Release -

Zydus Cadila : ‘ZYD1’ – a novel candidate to treat Diabetes and Obesity

June 04, 2009 - Zydus Cadila, a global healthcare provider and one of India’s leading healthcare companies, announced the filing of the IND application for ZYD1 - a novel GLP-1 agonist molecule with the DCGI. Designed and developed at the Zydus Research Centre, ZYD1 is a novel candidate in the class of antidiabetic agents known as incretin mimetics and has displayed a better efficacy and safety profile.
Incretin mimetics are poised to dominate the future of anti-diabetic therapy and presents a huge opportunity in bridging unmet medical needs that still continues to dodge the treatment and care of diabetes. The new class of drugs called incretins came to the fore in May 2005 when the world’s first GLP-1 agonist was approved by the USFDA.
ZYD1 has demonstrated beneficial effects in preclinical animal models on glucose reduction, HbA1c reduction and added benefits of weight loss. ZYD1 displayed a differentiated preclinical safety profile with no nausea-like symptoms and absence of antibody generation in the preclinical studies...

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...The Zydus Research Centre has over 20 discovery programmes ongoing with several candidates in the pre-clinical development stage focused on metabolic, cardiovascular, pain and inflammation therapeutic areas. With over 375 research professionals spearheading its research programme, Zydus has inhouse capabilities to conduct discovery research from concept to IND enabling pre-clinical development and human proof-of-concept clinical trials... [PDF] Zydus Cadila's Press Release -

AMRI : New Obesity Treatment toward IND Submission

June 2, 2009— AMRI (NASDAQ: AMRI) announced the selection of a compound from its proprietary obesity treatment research program for advanced preclinical testing, with the goal of submitting an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2010.

AMRI's drug candidate is a novel MCH-1 receptor antagonist offering a promising new approach for the treatment of obesity. Melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) is a potent appetite stimulating peptide known to exert an effect on food intake and body weight regulation. In preclinical disease models, AMRI's small molecule antagonists of the MCH-1 receptor have demonstrated efficacy in rodent models of obesity, delivering weight loss that rivals currently available therapeutics, suggesting the potential for improved therapy in humans.

Pending favorable results in toxicity and safety pharmacology testing, AMRI estimates that it will submit an IND for this compound in the first half of 2010. Subject to FDA review, the submission of an IND would allow subsequent initiation of Phase I human clinical trials... AMRI's Press Release -

Emisphere Technologies : Encouraging Data from Independent Clinical Study Assessing the Effects of Oral GLP-1 and PYY3-36, Combined with Eligen(R) ...

May 26, 2009 - Encouraging Data from Independent Clinical Study Assessing the Effects of Oral GLP-1 and PYY3-36, Combined with Eligen(R) Technology on Appetite Suppression- Emisphere Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: EMIS) announced data from a clinical study designed to assess the effect of oral administration of two peptides, GLP-1 and PYY3-36, utilizing Emisphere's Eligen(R) Technology on appetite suppression. The study was conducted at the University Hospital in Basel, Switzerland by Professor Christoph Beglinger, of the Clinical Research Center, Department of Biomedicine Division of Gastroenterology, andDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at the hospital.

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 16 normal weight males between the ages of 18 and 40. The study was designed to investigate the effects of orally administered GLP-1 and PYY3-36 formulated with Emisphere's Sodium N-[8-(2-hydroxybenzoyl) Amino] Caprylate ("SNAC") carrier and their potential effect in the control of food intake and satiety. Prior studies have shown the ability of both peptides to reduce appetite and food consumption in healthy subjects and in patients with obesity... Emisphere Technologies' Press Release -