Our Innovation Analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups working on solutions in the pharma sector. As there is a large number of startups working on a wide variety of solutions, we decided to share our insights with you. This time, we are taking a look at 5 promising obesity management solutions.
Heat Map: 5 Top Obesity Management Solutions
Using our StartUs Insights Platform, covering 1.116.000+ startups & emerging companies, we looked at innovation in the field of pharma. For this research, we identified 30 relevant solutions and picked 5 to showcase below. These companies were chosen based on a data-driven startup scouting approach, taking into account factors such as location, founding year, and technology among others. Depending on your specific criteria, the top picks might look entirely different.
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights 5 startups & emerging companies developing innovative obesity management solutions. Moreover, the Heat Map reveals regions that observe a high startup activity and illustrates the geographic distribution of all 30 companies we analyzed for this specific topic.
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Phenomix Sciences – Obesity Phenotyping
Phenotype refers to a BioTech technique that gathers information on all observable traits of an organism. A phenotype results from an organism’s genetic code and the influence of environmental factors. When two or more clearly different phenotypes exist in the same population of a species, it has effects on the organism’s individual phenotype as well. The advancement in multi-omics biological analysis enables startups to provide tailored solutions for various medical conditions, including for obesity, by understanding patient phenotypes.
The US-based startup Phenomix Sciences utilizes Mayo Clinic’s multi-omics test to build a platform for accurately predicting patients’ obesity phenotypes. PhenoTest is a blood test that measures a patient’s deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), as well as certain metabolites and hormones that are related to obesity. Together, the biomarkers from the test are analyzed to later identify unique phenotypes. Identifying the phenotype facilitates a personalized approach to weight loss that is more precise, and also saves time and money.
Lobesity Pharma – Humanized Monoclonal Antibody
Obesity and diabetes are highly prevalent health conditions that several countries are currently battling. Recent scientific studies suggest that gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) plays an underlying role in the development of type 2 diabetes and overnutrition-induced obesity. Emerging BioTech companies are working on solutions that interfere with the digestive processes in humans to tackle diabetes and obesity at the source.
The US-based startup Lobesity Pharma develops a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) that binds specifically to GIP (anti-GIP mAb). The anti-GIP mAb does not affect patients’ appetites but instead produces less efficient eaters by decreasing both nutrient absorption from the intestine and nutrient storage. It is designed to prevent GIP from binding to its receptor, therefore decreasing GIP activity. The solution is currently undergoing clinical trials.
EraCal Therapeutics – Oral Appetite Suppressor
There currently exist several over-the-counter (OTC) appetite suppressants. Usually made from natural ingredients, they serve as a short-term treatment for obesity. However, there remain several concerns regarding the safety of certain pharmaceutical anorectic agents. This drives innovative startups to develop safer and more effective options to tackle obesity and its related risks.
Swiss startup EraCal Therapeutics specializes in in-vivo drug discovery using zebrafish larvae. The startup’s flagship molecule, Era-107, is an oral appetite suppressor delivering relatively superior efficacy and safety when compared to the existing anti-obesity drugs. This solution has already been demonstrated in three vertebrate animal models.
PreveCeutical Medical – Dual Gene Therapy
Gene therapy provides scientists with new techniques to address conditions that still have no proper cure or effective treatments. In the cases of type 2 diabetes, and obesity as well, gene therapies involve the breaking down of fats or expenditure of energy. Dual gene therapies combine different genes with favorable properties to deliver targeted treatments. Such treatments open the opportunity for creating potential cures and improved treatment for type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Canadian startup PreveCeutical Medical tackles type 2 diabetes and obesity using a smart, small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) and a tissue targeted bio-responsive carrier system. The startup’s program paves the way for preclinical evaluation of proprietary chemistry toward the single gene target implicated in type 2 diabetes and obesity. Their solution aims to reduce the body’s capacity to store fat, thus reversing obesity, fatty liver disease, and possibly curing the disease.
Antag Therapeutics – Fat Metabolism Modulation
Metabolic diseases occur due to both undernutrition and overnutrition. Most known metabolic diseases, such as hypertension, excess weight, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type-2 diabetes are extremely common medical conditions today. This drives emerging BioTech companies to find ways to change the composition or ability of certain gut microbiota, to reverse or reshape the digestive processes.
Danish startup Antag Therapeutics formulates drugs that are based on a novel and naturally occurring antagonist that modulates fat metabolism and dysregulation of glycemia in diabetic patients. The startup uses therapeutic peptides to modulate proteins to counter dietary-related metabolic diseases.
What About The Other 25 Solutions?
While we believe data is key to creating insights it can be easy to be overwhelmed by it. Our ambition is to create a comprehensive overview and provide actionable innovation intelligence so you can achieve your goals faster. The 5 obesity management solutions showcased above are promising examples out of 30 we analyzed for this article. To identify the most relevant solutions based on your specific criteria, get in touch.
