Meet the New Contender for the Obsity-Curing Throne 👑

Hello. This is The Splice, slicing through the complex world of longevity so you can enjoy the juicy bits.

Here's what we've got today:

• Semaglutide, the King of Weight Loss Injections: What's Wrong with it and What's Next 🙅‍♂️⏭

• Gate Bioscience Unveils a New Class of Disease-Blocking Molecules and Bags a Cool $60M to Boot 💊🤑

• Meet the Startup That Wants Your Dog to Live a lot Longer 🐶👴

Semaglutide, the King of Weight Loss Injections: What's Wrong With It and What's Next

From Tesla to SpaceX, the world follows Elon Musk's every move. So when he tweeted that he was using Wegovy, a type of Semaglutide weight loss injection, the interest in this type 2 diabetes drug skyrocketed. 

The Silicon Valley tech titan isn't alone; it seems like every other celebrity is using it, along with everyday folks, who are finding it an effective ally in their weight loss journeys. 

However, just when Semaglutide – the king in weight management – was about to rest on its laurels, a new challenger has entered the weight loss arena. Could this upstart dethrone the reigning king? Let's dive in to find out.

Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly: The Battling Biotech Giants

Currently, Semaglutide and another type 2 diabetes drug, Tirzepatide, have shown the potential to induce significant weight loss in obese patients through clinical trials. Although now, only Semaglutide has been green-lighted for weight management, these incretin-class medicines are potential game-changers in combating the rising tsunami of obesity.

The hype is having a massive effect on pharma giants Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, who manufacture Tirzepatide (branded as Mounjaro) and Wegovy, respectively. Eli Lilly has become the most valuable pharma company in the world, which caused its stock price to double, adding a staggering $300B to its market cap. On the other hand, Denmark-based Novo Nordisk is now worth more than its country's GDP!

A Hurdle in the Obesity Fight: The Muscle Problem

However, there's a bump in the road to glory for these incretin-class drugs. Despite their potential in managing diabetes, obesity, and various metabolic diseases, their impact on muscle health is a big problem. Incretins make us less hungry, causing effects similar to long-term fasting, which can result in significant muscle loss.

The loss of skeletal muscle is a crucial concern for older adults, as reduced muscle mass increases susceptibility to falls and fractures, which can lead to a poorer quality of life and premature death. Consequently, physicians and patients face a tough decision: Is it worth risking muscle health to gain other health benefits?

Enter the Challenger — ATX-304.

While the tug-of-war between muscle health and obesity continues - ATX-304, under development by Amplifier Therapeutics, promises to take things in a different direction. By activating a metabolic sensor, ATX-304 boosts the metabolism, meaning you use more energy. 

Think about it like this: 

• Semaglutide makes you that friend who only orders a salad

• ATX-304 makes you that friend who can eat whatever they want without getting fat

I'll take option two, thanks.

So, When Can I Get It?

Encouragingly, its safety has already been tested on roughly 150 healthy individuals and Type 2 diabetes patients. Amplifier Therapeutics recently announced a new Phase 1B clinical trial to assess the drug's efficiency in reversing metabolic dysfunction in overweight and obese prediabetic individuals.

A World Without Diets?

Forget the tasteless protein shakes and insatiable hunger that crash dieting brings. With rising stars like ATX-304 entering the scene, weight management could soon shift from an exhausting uphill battle to a convenient aspect of our daily routine. Imagine a world where the question isn't about how many calories we've eaten but what delicious food we will eat. Sure, it's early days, but promising newcomers like ATX-304 might just bring us closer to the day when our scales aren't a source of dread but a testament to our victory over the bulge. 🏆

Gate Bioscience Unveils an Aisle of Disease-Ditching Molecules and Bags a Cool $60M to Boot.

The newest kid on the biotech block, Gate Biosciences, has exploded out of stealth mode with a $60 million Series A round. They're turning heads with their brand new class of medicines, Molecular Gates. That will help to fight one of the leading causes of age-related disease.

Meet Molecular Gates: The New Kryptonite for Disease-Causing Proteins

The newly emerged Gate Bioscience does more than add a new entry to the roll call of biotech companies. They've set up shop and are already making waves with Molecular Gates, a new medical concept. What's a Molecular Gate? Picture a gnarly bouncer who won't let those pesky disease-causing proteins crash the party in your cells. Cool, right?

Molecular Gates are small molecules with a big job: to eliminate extracellular proteins, the bad boys responsible for an array of human diseases. These proteins are behind it all, from inflammation to neurodegenerative disorders and certain cancers.

"Inside" Knowledge

Here's the lowdown. Your body's cells churn out over 4,000 types of extracellular proteins. To go from inside the cell to outside, these proteins need a golden ticket - a pass through a channel in the cell wall called (cue the dramatic drums) the secretory translocon. This gatekeeper channel is the one-and-only exit for both the goodies (beneficial proteins) and the baddies (disease-causing ones).

This is where our Molecular Gates come in. 👀 They stand outside this secretory translocon and say, "Not tonight, pal," to disease-causing proteins, blocking their exit and ensuring they meet a pitiful end inside the cell. Nice, huh?

Futuristic Pharmacies? Not So Far Off

Already equipped with an impressive $60M in Series A funding, Gate Bioscience is pushing boundaries and building bridges toward a new field of medicine. 

The Molecular Gates don't just block any protein. They're smart enough to selectively stop the disease-causing proteins while beneficial ones go on their merry way.

This novel approach is expected to sprout a whole raft of therapeutics for diseases that are tough to treat today. So, don't be surprised if you one day find yourself popping a pill crafted by Gate Biosciences.

Over to the Lab

The science behind Gate's novel approach ropes in their mighty Molecular Gate Discovery Platform. This combines a vast library of Molecular Gates, advanced secretion-focused technologies, and an in-depth understanding of the biology of the secretory pathway.

And what's the outcome? Highly-targeted therapies that can change the face of disease treatment in the not-so-distant future.🌟

Building Blocks of a Healthier Tomorrow

Gate Biosciences shines bright in the biotech big leagues, not just because of its shiny new approach to tackling diseases but also because Molecular Gate medicines are small molecules that can be taken orally and have access everywhere, including the brain.

With foundations built on cutting-edge technologies, this biotech firm is set to revolutionize how we treat some diseases.

Final Word

Gate Bioscience's Molecular Gates could become more than just a new chapter in medical textbooks. They could be a gel capsule for a healthier future. Less inflammation. Less neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. And less cancer. We'll be keeping our eyes out for our molecular bouncer, ready to kick disease-causing proteins to the curb...right from the heart of our cells. 🌌

A Paw-sitive Leap for Longevity: Silicon Valley's Quest for Dog Lifespan Extension

Is your four-legged fur friend moving into its golden years? There's a possibility we could soon be celebrating more doggy birthdays, thanks to a ground-breaking biotech trial out of Silicon Valley! Yes, you heard right, our penchant for pampering pets and our obsession with longevity could make "Old Dog" an increasingly endearing term very soon!

A Treat to Treat Aging

Set to put tails into a whirlwind of wagging, the study will involve 1,000 senior dogs who'll receive a daily tablet disguised as a tasty treat. The biotechnology company behind this doggy dose of life extension is Loyal, a Silicon Valley-based startup. They are currently recruiting elderly dogs (over 10 years old) via veterinary networks across the USA for what promises to be a historic trial.

Gigantic Veterinary Trial Targets Dog Years

Tagged as likely to be the "largest clinical trial in veterinary medical history" by Dr. Brennen McKenzie, Loyal's Director of Veterinary Medicine, this initiative is a giant leap in longevity research. The big bone that the company is offering here is not just a longer lifespan but a more vibrant, disease-free existence, also known as "healthspan."

More Candles on the Birthday Cake, but What's the Icing?

While the aim is to have the dogs on the drug live, on average, a year longer than those on the placebo, the cherry on the cake is a healthier, happier, and more functional life for our canine companions. The trials are under wraps for commercial reasons. Still, if successful, we could see a new affordable daily supplement on the market that could add more playful years to our furry friends' lives.

The promising drug has already passed safety checks, offering a low risk of unwanted long-term side effects. As Dr. McKenzie points out, "We're going to start with dogs 10 years and older, but I think you're going to see pet owners giving their dogs therapies that will keep them healthier for longer soon."

Sniffing New Trails in Human Medicine

Beyond wagging the longevity tail of dogs, this study could serve big biscuits to advancements in human medicine as well. Biomedical breakthroughs in canine research could be used to benefit human health. Just like a dog's loyalty, these findings could be truly unconditional. 🎾🐶

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