Alteogen (196170.KQ) is stepping up development of a long-acting obesity treatment that can be administered once a month.
The company said on Sept. 17 that it has completed an international patent application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty for a new platform technology called a long-acting conjugate, which combines multiple active molecules to extend the duration of a drug's effect.
The technology builds on Alteogen's existing platform for selectively attaching drugs to specific sites on an antibody. It is designed to increase a drug's half-life by combining multiple active molecules into a single conjugate, thereby prolonging its therapeutic effect. The company said the technology allows dosing frequency to be reduced or dosing intervals to be extended while maintaining the same or similar treatment results.
Alteogen is developing ALT-M5, an obesity drug candidate that applies the platform and is designed for once-monthly dosing. In animal studies, the company confirmed the feasibility of once-monthly administration and the potential to curb weight regain after treatment is stopped. Detailed results will be disclosed at the Obesity Society meeting in the United States in November.
"This is a platform technology that can be applied to a range of biopharmaceuticals to create long-acting products in a once-monthly dosing form," said Jeon Tae-yeon, CEO of Alteogen. "Based on the animal study results for ALT-M5, we will develop it into a differentiated obesity treatment that can address the unmet need of once-monthly dosing and weight regain after discontinuation."
