Lean Genes allow you to eat without gaining weight…Nature did
it, ObeTherapy can reproduce it!
The Company
The company ObeTherapy Biotechnology is a French biotech dedicated
to the identification of innovative drugs by targeting new genes of
interest for the treatment of obesity, hypercholesterolemia and
type II diabetes. ObeTherapy was created in the year 2000 at the
Genopole site at Evry, France.
Keywords
Obesity, type II diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia,
Hypertriglyceridemia, metabolic diseases, drug discovery and drug
design.
Our innovative strategy
ObeTherapy’s innovative strategy is the identification of targets
associated with a “lean phenotype” in contrary to competitor’s
approach, which is based on obesity phenotype. This strategy allows
us to identify several enzymatic activities, which are responsible
for the absorption of all lipids and proteins and carbohydrates.
These target are validated by a rare genetic lean phenotype, the
gene of which are exclusively expressed in the intestine and
therefore very specific compared to other obesity targets. To these
gene targets (IP) we have identified several hit compounds active
in vitro and with very promising preliminary in vivo results.
More recently we have identified another gene target responsible
for the absorption of proteins and triglycerides (IP) see
below.
A new target (IP):
The energy necessary for the body is deriving from carbohydrates,
triglycerides (TG) and proteins. Controlling energy absorption from
the GI tract should result in reduce body mass. Therefore, a
reduction in the amount of amino acids and triglycerides absorption
by inhibiting the digestion of proteins and TG in the intestine
should limit fat accumulation as suggested by a very rare human
genetic disease caused by a key enzyme involved in energy
absorption. This rare genetic disease is characterised by failure
to thrive.
These patients are extremely rare (only several cases described in
the literature), probably, because they have been eliminated from
the population during food-limited human evolution (“expenditure
gene”).
Our target meets all criteria for the selection of a good
therapeutic target for obesity treatment:
(1) Its enzymatic activity is specific and not redundant.
(2) Its expression is limited to intestine.
(3) Inactivating mutations of its gene are associated with a lean
phenotype.
(4) Knock-out transgenic mice show the same phenotype observed in
human (collaboration between ObeTherapy and Taconic/Artemis).
Preliminary results for fatty acids and proteins inhibition
project
– We have identified several lead compounds active at the
nanoMolar range in vitro.
– These molecules are stable in vitro and in GI milieu.
– In vivo acute experiments show inhibition of absorption of
both amino acids and triglyceride.
– Chronic treatment shows weight loss up to 25% compare to
control
– Pilot PK study shows no systematic absorption of the
compound.
– Knock out transgenic mice for the gene target shows a
phenotype in pups like in human, namely growth retardation.