AstraZeneca puts step into obesity market

SixPeaks Bio, launched with US$30m in Series A funding led by Versant Ventures, which is known for its build to buy strategy, and announced a two-year collaboration with AstraZeneca to co-develop its dual-specific antibody that targets the activin type IIA and B receptors, which blocks myostatin signalling. Disruption of myostatin signaling increases muscle mass and decreases glucose levels, a potential way to treat obesity. Treatments for the complex syndrome are projected to create a US$100bn market by 2030. The British drugmaker like Roche aims to come from behind in the heated obesity market opportunity.

SixPeaks Bio is focussed on preserving muscle mass, which could be a good complementation for GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide or tirzepatide that have made Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to No. 1 and No. 2 global pharma companies in terms of market calitalisation due to the diabetes/obesity drug’s ability to decrease blood glucose levels and body mass index by centrally regulating hunger.

SixPeaks assumes its drug to be effective as monotherapy or in combination with GLP-1 receptor agonistic incretins. The company is also developing a preclinical conjugate combining both incretins and Myosin signalling blockers.

After having terminated two GLP1 receptor agonist programmes last year, AstraZeneca has already licenced an oral Phase I candidate from Chineses Eccogene Co. Ltd. The dual acting programme named AZD6234 is an amylin and calcitonon receptor agonist. Calcitonin promotes insulin sensitivity, and can inhibit gastric emptying, the thyroid hormone promotes gallbladder relaxation, increases energy expenditure and induces satiety as well as weight loss. Amylin, derived from pancreatic beta cells, regulates plasma glucose by delaying gastric emptying after meal ingestion, and modulates glucagon secretion and central satiety signalling in the brain.