Project: Long Lived Obesity Treatment
The consortium, PolyTherics and 7TM Pharma, wishes to investigate and develop an anti-obesity peptide possessing a half-life capable of affording weekly to biweekly dosing in patients. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are more than 400 million clinically obese people worldwide, and the number is growing rapidly. In spite of this, there are only a few approved therapies for obesity with limited effect. 7TM Pharma has developed new peptide drugs targeting 7TM receptors as therapies for obesity. PolyTherics has several unique solutions to the problem of half-life extension in the field of protein and peptide therapeutics using PEGylation. By combining the technologies of the two companies, the consortium seeks to undertake the development of a PEGylated anti-obesity peptide and demonstrate retained biological activity with superior half-life in animals. The project is planned to last for 24 months; the first 12 months will be spent on investigation and the second 12 months on further research resulting in the selection of a lead candidate that is ready for pre-clinical development. _x000D__x000D_WHO’s latest projections indicate that globally in 2005 approximately 1.6 billion adults (age 15+) were overweight and at least 400 million adults were obese. WHO further projects that by 2015, approximately 2.3 billion adults will be overweight and more than 700 million will be obese. At least 20 million children under the age of 5 years are overweight globally in 2005. Once considered a problem only in high-income countries, overweight and obesity are now dramatically on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings._x000D__x000D_WHO defines "overweight" as a BMI equal to or higher than 25, and "obesity" as a BMI equal to or higher than 30 (i.e. a weight of ~100 kg at a height of ~175 cm). Obesity is no longer considered just a cosmetic problem or a "life-style" disease, but recognized as a major contributor to the development of life-threatening diseases and chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, certain forms of cancer, and osteoarthritis, causing substantial morbidity and mortality and vast costs for the healthcare system. _x000D__x000D_Some 30-80% of the adult population in the WHO European Region are overweight . The average BMI for the region is nearly 26.5 and obesity affects up to a third of the adult population. Almost 400 million adults in the European Region are estimated to be overweight and about 130 million, obese._x000D__x000D_Obesity in childhood often continues into adulthood. It brings an enormous burden of both disability and mortality, as well as an economic challenge. Childhood obesity is an acute health crisis. About 20% of children are overweight, and a third of these are obese._x000D__x000D_Obesity is one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century. Its prevalence has tripled in many countries in the WHO European Region since the 1980s, and the numbers of those affected continue to rise at an alarming rate, particularly among children. If prevalence continues to increase at the same rate as in the 1990s, about 150 million adults in the European Region may be obese by 2010. The figures show a clear upward trend, even in countries with traditionally low rates, such as France, the Netherlands and Norway. The gap between the western and eastern parts of the European Region is closing rapidly._x000D__x000D_Obesity creates a major economic burden through loss of productivity and income, and consumes 2-8% of overall health care budgets. Spain, for example, recently reported that nearly 7% of health care costs were directly or indirectly associated with obesity. In the eastern half of the Region, this figure is up to 5%._x000D__x000D_Despite the magnitude of the problem and the socioeconomic benefits of its management, anti-obesity therapies on the market and in development are scarce; the pipelines for drugs in later stage development are quite empty and existing treatments are marginally effective and poorly tolerated, as demonstrated by the recent withdraw of Sanofi-Aventis's Acomplia (rimonabant) due to severe CNS driven side-effects including suicidal ideation, anxiety and depression. Given these limitations, the opportunities in the anti-obesity market are immense (projected with US$ 2.5-3.7 billion between 2008 and 2012, with peak projections up to US$ 13 billion by 2013) with a big need and prospect for an efficacious and safe drug for sustainable weight loss in adults and children.
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Acronym
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LLOT
(Reference Number: 4850)
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Duration
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22/03/2009 - 31/05/2012
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Project Topic
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7TM has experience in development of peptide therapeutics with activity in weight loss through appetite suppression. PolyTherics has a toolbox of technologies for improving the performance of peptide therapeutics. Now the two companies want to combine their expertise to develop a superior drug.
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Network
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Eurostars
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Call
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Eurostars Cut-Off 2
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Project partner
