iBio, Inc. (Nasdaq: IBIO), an AI-driven developer of precision antibody therapies, announced today a licensing agreement with AstralBio Inc. for a preclinical first-in-class antibody targeting Activin E. The novel antibody, discovered using iBio's patented Machine-Learning Antibody Engine, represents a potentially groundbreaking approach to treating obesity and cardiometabolic diseases.
Preclinical studies have shown promising results, demonstrating strong antibody binding, inhibition of Activin E signaling, and fat-specific weight loss in an obese rodent model. The company plans to rapidly advance testing in more complex models following these encouraging early results.
Novel Mechanism Targets Fat While Preserving Muscle
The in-licensed antibody is believed to be the first functional inhibitor of Activin E, a genetically validated therapeutic target that plays a key role in regulating energy balance and fat distribution. Inhibiting Activin E-mediated signaling could offer a novel therapeutic strategy with significant advantages over current approaches.
"Inhibiting Activin E could potentially reduce internal abdominal fat while preserving muscle mass—potentially reversing obesity, preventing diabetes, and improving overall cardiometabolic health," explained Martin Brenner, Ph.D., DVM, iBio's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer.
This mechanism differs from many current obesity treatments that can result in both fat and muscle loss. The selective targeting of fat tissue could represent a significant advancement in obesity treatment paradigms.
Synergistic Effects with GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
In vivo proof-of-concept studies established in a rodent model of obesity showed that the antibody induced fat-selective weight loss as a monotherapy. Notably, it demonstrated synergistic weight loss when added to a GLP-1 receptor agonist in recently published data by iBio.
This synergistic effect highlights the potential for combination therapies targeting multiple pathways involved in metabolic regulation. Activin E, along with amylin, GLP-1, and other signaling molecules, are part of a broader network that could be targeted simultaneously to yield enhanced benefits for patients.
AI-Driven Discovery Platform Enables Breakthrough
iBio's proprietary Machine Learning Antibody Engine and advanced epitope engineering technology were instrumental in developing this novel therapeutic. The company designed engineered epitopes representing five key regions of the Activin E protein, leading to the successful development of a molecule that fully blocks Activin E-mediated signaling.
This approach has enabled the company to address a challenging target that had previously eluded therapeutic intervention. The success demonstrates the potential of AI-driven platforms to accelerate drug discovery and tackle previously "undruggable" targets.
Expanded Collaboration with AstralBio
In addition to the licensing agreement, iBio has amended its existing collaboration with AstralBio to add a fifth target for the treatment of cardiometabolic disease. iBio will identify and create an antibody against this target using its proprietary Drug Discovery Platform.
Under the financial terms of the agreement, AstralBio has provided iBio a $750,000 credit applied toward the option fee for the exclusive license of the novel antibody. AstralBio will be eligible for development and commercialization milestone payments totaling up to $28 million, plus low to mid-single-digit sublicense fees if iBio sublicenses the product.
iBio will maintain sole responsibility for research and development, manufacturing, and commercialization activities of the licensed product.
Future Development Plans
The company plans to present additional preclinical data on its Activin E-targeting antibody at the upcoming International BMP Conference in Philadelphia, PA, from May 2–6.
"Our decision to license this Activin E-targeting functional antibody, a potentially first-in-class molecule, at this early stage reflects our firm belief in Activin E as a promising therapeutic target and our confidence in building upon the strong preclinical data we recently published," said Brenner. "This antibody represents a strategic expansion of our pipeline in cardiometabolic diseases and obesity and a significant step toward clinical development of a medication that can potentially offer meaningful benefits to patients."
The obesity and cardiometabolic disease markets represent significant opportunities, with current treatments often limited by side effects or insufficient efficacy. If successful in clinical development, iBio's novel approach could address substantial unmet needs in these growing therapeutic areas.
