iBio, Inc. has unveiled promising new preclinical data for IBIO-610, a potentially first-in-class Activin E antibody candidate that could revolutionize obesity treatment with its extended dosing interval. The company announced that new non-human primate studies demonstrate a half-life of 33.2 days, with predictions suggesting a human half-life of up to 100 days that could enable treatment as infrequently as twice per year.
The pharmacokinetic data from obese non-human primates will be presented by Cory Schwartz, Ph.D., Director of Research and Early Development at iBio, during an oral session at ObesityWeek 2025 in Atlanta, taking place November 4-7. Based on allometric scaling models of half-life extended antibodies, researchers predict IBIO-610 could achieve a human half-life of up to 100 days, potentially reducing dosing frequency to once every six months.
Addressing Gaps in Current Obesity Treatment
"GLP-1 therapies have transformed the treatment for obesity, but gaps in patient care remain for durable options addressing biology beyond appetite control," said Martin Brenner, DVM, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer of iBio. The company's AI-enabled discovery platform has created what Brenner describes as "potentially a first-in-class long-acting antibody against Activin E" that offers "deep, sustained pathway blockade with infrequent dosing while leveraging the scalability and reliability of the global antibody manufacturing infrastructure."
Previously reported data from diet-induced obesity mouse models showed that IBIO-610 drives fat-selective, GLP-1-synergistic weight loss and prevents weight regain following GLP-1 treatment discontinuation. This mechanistic profile distinguishes IBIO-610 from current obesity treatments by targeting pathways beyond appetite suppression.
Differentiated Mechanism and Clinical Potential
Dr. Schwartz emphasized the therapeutic potential of the antibody-mediated approach: "We believe that antibody-mediated targeting of Activin E has the potential to enable more comprehensive pathway modulation than other therapeutic approaches for the treatment of obesity." The combination of extended half-life and strong mechanistic validation in mouse models underscores what the company describes as the differentiated profile of IBIO-610.
The long-acting profile and fat-selective biology of IBIO-610 could position it not only as a standalone obesity treatment but also as an option for individuals transitioning off GLP-1 therapies. According to Dr. Schwartz, the therapy could help patients "maintain results without frequent injections, daily pills, or the side effects associated with GLP-1 agonism."
AI-Driven Drug Discovery Platform
iBio leverages AI and advanced computational biology combined with proprietary 3D modeling to develop next-generation biopharmaceuticals for cardiometabolic diseases, obesity, cancer, and other hard-to-treat diseases. The company's platform has accomplished what was "long considered extremely difficult" in creating the potentially first-in-class long-acting antibody against Activin E.
The extended half-life data and differentiated mechanism of action reinforce IBIO-610's potential as a leading next-generation therapy for obesity and cardiometabolic disease, with the potential to significantly improve patient experience through reduced dosing frequency compared to current treatment options requiring frequent administration.
