Prolor Biotech Inc. (AMEX: PBTH; TASE: PBTH) today reported positive results from a comparative animal study of its long-acting anti-obesity drug candidate oxyntomodulin (OXY-RPEG).
The study compared the weight loss and reduction in food intake by animals who received one or two weekly injections of OXY-RPEG with animals who received two daily injections. Animals injected once or twice a week demonstrated significantly higher weight loss, reduction of food intake, and duration of weight loss compared with animals who received two injections a day.
Oxyntomodulin is a naturally occurring peptide hormone released by the digestive system that acts as a natural satiety signal to reduce food intake and increase energy expenditure following food ingestion. Previous human trials found that oxyntomodulin's very short half-life required three daily injections to reduce appetite and result in substantial weight loss.
Prolor developed the longer-acting OXY-RPEG version by combining a naturally occurring oxyntomodulin with the company's proprietary Reversible PEGylation technology designed to increase the half-life of therapeutic peptides and small molecules.
Prolor CEO Dr. Abraham Havron said, "We believe OXY-RPEG has the potential to become an important new treatment for obesity, and we are on track for initiating our first human clinical trial planned for 2012."
Prolor's share price closed at $5.01 on the American Stock Exchange on Friday, giving a market cap of $272 million, and rose 2.5% on the TASE today to NIS 17.99.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 6, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011