CinRx Highlights Positive Early-Stage Results for Two Obesity Treatments

CinFina Pharma, a subsidiary of CinRx, presented preliminary data for its Janssen-licensed obesity treatments at ObesityWeek. The drugs in focus are CIN-110, a PYY analog, and CIN-109, a growth differentiation factor 15 analog. Both medications demonstrated potential in promoting weight loss while preserving lean body mass. This dual action is seen as a significant advancement given the current market, which is dominated by anti-obesity and diabetes drugs from companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly that primarily target weight reduction.

In an interim Phase 1 trial, CIN-110 showed promising results. Patients experienced a reduction in food intake by up to 28% and a weight loss of 1.8% after just one week and a single subcutaneous dose. The trial included 24 obese but otherwise healthy individuals. Among these participants, mild nausea was reported in three cases, but there were no withdrawals due to adverse events. The company highlighted that CIN-110 has been designed to minimize gastrointestinal side effects significantly.

For CIN-109, final Phase 1 trial results indicated that obese patients experienced dose-dependent reductions in food intake, with decreases of up to 50%. The weight loss observed was up to 3.7% within one to two months of weekly dosing. Importantly, most of this weight loss consisted of fat mass rather than lean mass. Additionally, there were no serious side effects linked to the drug.

Jon Isaacsohn, CEO of CinRx, discussed the potential applications of CinFina’s drugs in an interview. He suggested that these treatments could be used either in combination with GLP-1 receptor agonists or as standalone therapies. Isaacsohn emphasized the opportunity for smaller biotech companies like CinRx to contribute alternatives in the weight loss drug market.

Isaacsohn explained that the current GLP-1 treatments require careful dose titration to achieve effectiveness. However, combining a lower dose of GLP-1 with another drug that enhances weight loss via a different mechanism might circumvent the issue of losing lean muscle mass. He expressed optimism about this approach, describing it as the future of weight loss treatments.

In summary, CinFina Pharma's early-stage studies of CIN-110 and CIN-109 have shown encouraging outcomes in terms of weight reduction and lean mass preservation. These findings suggest that these drugs could fill market gaps left by existing blockbuster medications, potentially offering new solutions for obesity management.