Antag Therapeutics has announced FDA clearance of its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for AT-7687, a first-in-class therapeutic peptide targeting the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor. This clearance allows the company to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate AT-7687 as a potential treatment for obesity and cardiometabolic diseases.
The Phase 1 trial will assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of AT-7687 in both healthy lean and healthy obese subjects. The study will also explore the combination of AT-7687 with semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, to investigate potential synergistic effects on weight loss.
AT-7687: A Novel GIP Receptor Antagonist
AT-7687 is a peptide GIP receptor antagonist designed for once-weekly subcutaneous administration. Preclinical studies suggest that AT-7687 can attenuate weight gain and enhance GLP-1-mediated weight loss. Furthermore, it has shown potential in improving lipid profiles, particularly LDL cholesterol, independent of weight change. Notably, these benefits were observed without associated gastrointestinal side effects, a common concern with existing weight loss medications.
Alexander Sparre-Ulrich, Founder and CEO of Antag Therapeutics, stated, "This marks a major step forward in advancing our clinical development program and brings us closer to providing a potential new treatment for patients with obesity and cardiometabolic diseases. We are excited to begin our Phase I study and further demonstrate the therapeutic potential of AT-7687 and GIPR antagonism."
The Science Behind AT-7687
The development of AT-7687 is rooted in the discovery of a novel human metabolite by Professor Jens Holst at the University of Copenhagen, who also discovered GLP-1. The therapeutic potential of AT-7687 is further supported by human genetic validation, which indicates that reducing GIP receptor activity is associated with leanness.
Addressing a Growing Market
The market for weight loss drugs has seen substantial growth following the approval of Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide in 2021 and Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide in 2022. Antag Therapeutics aims to contribute to this expanding market with AT-7687, offering a novel approach to obesity treatment through GIP receptor antagonism.
