Ipsen Grants Rhythm Exclusive Worldwide License for Two Programs in the Field of Metabolic Disorders

March 12, 2010— Ipsen (Euronext: FR0010259150; IPN), a global biotechnology specialty care group, and Rhythm Pharmaceuticals (Rhythm), a biotechnology company developing peptide therapeutics for metabolic diseases, announced that they have concluded a license agreement for Ipsen’s proprietary peptide therapeutics targeting obesity, metabolic diseases, and gastrointestinal disorders. Under the terms of the agreement, Ipsen has granted Rhythm an exclusive worldwide license for research, development, and commercialization of its melanocortin and ghrelin programs originating from Ipsen research.


“The agreement with Rhythm is a clear catalyst for the development of proprietary molecules from Ipsen in promising indications within the area of metabolic diseases, which are outside of our core strategic focus... Rhythm Pharmaceuticals' Press Release - [PDF] Ipsen's Press Release -

Envoy Therapeutics : Diabetes and Obesity Collaboration with Merck & Co., Inc.

January 26, 2010 - Envoy Therapeutics, Inc. announced that it has entered into a multi-year research collaboration agreement with an affiliate of Merck & Co., Inc. to discover novel diabetes and obesity drug targets.

Under the agreement, Envoy will use its proprietary bacTRAP® technology to identify proteins expressed specifically in certain cell types. Merck will then work to identify and develop compounds that modulate protein targets with therapeutic potential for the treatment of metabolic disorders. Merck will pay Envoy an upfront fee and research funding. In addition, Envoy is eligible to receive payments upon achievement of certain milestones associated with development of drug candidates and royalties on any products derived from the collaboration... [PDF] Envoy Therapeutics' Press Release - Merck's Press Release -

Madeira Therapeutics : Overweight kids are coronary time bombs

11.13.09 - Studies suggest overweight kids are coronary time bombs - CNN recently reported that, with childhood obesity on a disturbing rise, children are becoming coronary time bombs. The evidence is mounting that children are trading playing outside for television and video games. At Madeira Therapeutics, we understand that there is a combination of circumstances contributing to the childhood obesity rate, which has tripled since 1970. We have found heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) preconditions some children to develop cardiovascular complications, while a less active, more fast food-minded culture has worsened the issue.

While education regarding the urgency of this situation is intensifying, medical professionals are currently burdened with the lack of appropriate treatment options for its complications. Physicians are often compelled to resort to off-label prescriptions of adult formulations, a practice that lacks suitable dose titrations and standardized regulations... Madeira Therapeutics' Press Releases -

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 -