BiolActis : filing of a new patent protecting a major discovery with respect to the modulation of the obesity related metabolic pathway

December 11, 2009 - Technologie Biolactis Inc. announces the filing of a new patent protecting a major discovery with respect to the modulation of the obesity related metabolic pathway: Method of regulating PPAR, obesity related pathway and their associated metabolic impact - Technologie Biolactis Inc., a Canadian biotechnology company specializing in the development of lactoceuticals focused on cardiovascular, metabolic and obesity-associated disorders, is pleased to announce the filing of a new patent application protecting the recent discovery of an obesity related metabolic pathway modulation.

Obesity is a chronic disorder of energy imbalance characterized by an excess of energy intake in the long term compared with limited energy expenditure, leading to storage of the excess energy in the form of adipose tissue. Obesity contributes directly to numerous dangerous co-morbidities, including type 2 diabetes, cardio-metabolic diseases, hepatic disorders, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases, premature aging, and some forms of cancer. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally with more than 1 billion adults overweight, at least 300 million of them clinical obese.

Following the genomic analysis of the mechanism of action, the bioactive ingredients of BiolActis, called MPM (Malleable Protein Matrix), demonstrated the capacity to modulate specific nuclear receptor, the peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs), and some biological pathway associated to obesity.

It has been well established that PPARs agonists are key players in establishing strategy to fight obesity. The PPARs are important regulators of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, cell growth and differentiation, immune-regulation and the inflammatory response. Biological processes modulated by PPARs include, for example, plasma lipid transport and fatty acid catabolism, regulation of insulin sensitivity and blood glucose levels, inflammatory response, weight control and body composition... Technologie BiolActis' Press Release -

Unigene : Promising Preclinical Results in Its Obesity Peptide Program

Dec 17, 2009 - Unigene Laboratories, Inc. (OTCBB: UGNE) announced that it has selected a lead peptide compound, designated UGP281, from its obesity program for development. In a short-term study reported at the Keystone Symposium Conference on "Obesity: Novel Aspects of the Regulation of Body Weight" last January, a previously developed compound, orally-administered UGL269, reduced food intake in dogs by up to 50% and correspondingly reduced body weight. Subsequent studies by Unigene have led to the development of UGP281, a peptide modeled after naturally-occurring hormones which is significantly more potent than UGL269 and achieves the same reduction in food consumption at a lower dose. Importantly, in comparative animal studies at the same dose, UGP281 was at least 3-fold more effective in reducing food consumption than certain other peptide compounds that are currently in later-stage clinical development by third parties for accelerated weight loss. In addition, there were no overt signs of toxicity. The pronounced reductions in feeding behavior, as well as the weight of the animals after daily administration of this peptide, persisted over several weeks of dosing. The peptide has the additional advantages that it can be delivered orally using Unigene's Enteripep(R) technology and manufactured using Unigene's Secrapep(R) technology... Unigene's Press Release -

Shionogi : positive...results from year-long studies of velneperit, a novel NPY Y5 receptor antagonist being investigated for the treatment of obesity

February 17, 2009 - Shionogi & Co, Ltd. announced that two distinct year-long studies of velneperit, a novel neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y5 receptor antagonist also known as S-2367, each met their primary endpoint of demonstrating a statistically significant reduction in body weight. These clinical studies further demonstrate the potential for the NPY Y5 receptor as a target for obesity treatment.
Shionogi assessed the long term efficacy and safety of velneperit over the course of one year in two distinct studies, comprising a total randomized population of 1,566 obese subjects across 80 centers in the United States. Each respective study assessed the efficacy and safety of velneperit under different reduced calorie diet and low calorie diet conditions. In the strongest performing group relative to placebo across the two studies, subjects undergoing velneperit treatment of 800mg once-daily in combination with a reduced calorie diet responded with 5% or greater weight loss at a percentage nearly three times higher than those on placebo (35% vs. 12%). In addition, velneperit treatment resulted in statistically significant differences with respect to secondary parameters such as decreased waist circumference and improved serum lipid profile. In terms of safety, velneperit was well tolerated in all groups over the course of one year treatment, a finding consistent with subject experience in previous clinical studies. A full analysis of the current study data, including secondary efficacy endpoints as well as safety and laboratory parameters is currently underway...[PDF] Shionogi's Press Release -

Kemeta and Kronos Science Laboratories : Fat Metabolism Studies Collaboration

October 15, 2009 - Kemeta, LLC and Kronos Science Laboratories announce their collaborative agreement to study fat metabolism through a series of human clinical studies. Kemeta is commercializing a patented palm-size breath analyzer that specifically and immediately detects if, and at what rate, the user is burning fat.

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The Kemeta product will have application in the prevention of weight related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease as well as the optimization of personal health and fitness programs. The U.S. Center for Disease Control studies show that people with pre-diabetes can prevent or delay full blown type 2 diabetes by losing at least 7% of their body weight and engaging in moderate physical activity at least 150 minutes per week... Kemeta's Press Release -

Halsa Pharmaceuticals : ZAG Demonstrates Weight Loss, Rise in Temperature and Reduction of Diabetes Symptoms in Preclinical Studies at Obesity 2009...

October 26, 2009 - Houston-based Halsa Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company developing therapeutics for the treatment of obesity, diabetes, cachexia and other metabolic diseases, announced results from preclinical studies demonstrating that recombinant human Zinc-α2-glycoprotein (ZAG) induced a progressive loss of body weight in mice of 3.5g in five days, together with a rise in temperature of 0.4°C, suggesting an increase in energy expenditure. In addition, ZAG produced a normalization of the diabetic glucose tolerance curve after three days of treatment, suggesting that ZAG may have a therapeutic application in the treatment of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. The results from this study were presented at Obesity 2009, the 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of The Obesity Society, one of the largest scientific conferences in the field of obesity, being held in Washington, D.C. October 24-28... [PDF] Halsa Pharmaceuticals' Press Release -