RedHill Biopharma announces results from opaganib in vivo studies

RedHill Biopharma announced positive results from multiple in vivo studies, undertaken by RedHill’s partner, Apogee Biotechnology Corporation, showing the impact of opaganib on weight gain and glucose tolerance in a high fat diet,or HFD model, supporting the potential clinical use of opaganib for the prevention and therapy of Type 2 diabetes and other obesity-related disorders. The studies were designed to examine some of the most fundamental aspects of diabetes and obesity-related disease. The encouraging outcomes showed the benefit of opaganib therapy in suppression of HFD-induced body weight gain, loss of glucose tolerance and fat deposition. Additionally, opaganib treatment reduced weight gain and restored glucose tolerance in an already obese HFD model, suggesting its potential for treating, not just preventing, obesity-related disorders. The global obesity-diabetes drugs market is projected to be worth around $100B by 2034 – largely driven by Glucagon-like peptide-1 inhibitors like Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s (LLY) Trulicity and Mounjaro and sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors such as Boehringer Ingelheim’s Jardiance. Opaganib has also shown positive preclinical results in renal fibrosis, and has the potential to target multiple oncology, radioprotection, viral, inflammatory, and gastrointestinal indications.