ProLynx reveals preclinical results of monthly semaglutide

On August 21, 2024, ProLynx Inc. made a significant announcement regarding their innovative technology, which enables the development of a long-acting form of semaglutide that can be administered once a month. This advancement leverages ProLynx's unique methodology of linking therapeutic agents to hydrogel microspheres with customizable release rates.

Semaglutide is a peptide GLP-1 agonist present in Novo Nordisk's renowned medications, Ozempic® and Wegovy®. Ozempic® is prescribed for managing Type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy® is a higher-dose variant approved for weight management. These medications collectively generated approximately $20 billion in sales in 2023 and faced supply shortages due to high demand. Semaglutide typically has a half-life of around 160 hours, necessitating weekly doses for efficacy.

However, the new long-acting semaglutide developed by ProLynx aims to shift this paradigm. The company’s pharmacokinetic experiments in mice demonstrated an extended half-life of close to 30 days. Moreover, a single injection administered to diet-induced obese mice resulted in a 20% reduction in weight over a month, which is comparable to the effect of multiple weekly injections over the same period.

Daniel Santi, co-founder and President of ProLynx, emphasized the significance of this breakthrough by noting that their long-acting version of semaglutide utilizes the same FDA-approved peptide that patients are already familiar with. This innovation transforms the necessity of weekly administration into a monthly regimen. Santi highlighted that although ProLynx previously developed a monthly peptide GLP-1 agonist for treating Type 2 diabetes, this marks the first instance of achieving such results with a lipidated peptide.

ProLynx aims to apply this approach to other lipidated peptides, transitioning them from weekly to monthly doses. Forecasts suggest that the long half-lives and potent effects of certain GLP-1 agonists could potentially allow for dosing intervals extending to three or more months. This could be particularly beneficial for certain patient groups, as such dosing schedules could align with regular medical appointments.

ProLynx, based in San Francisco, is dedicated to creating proprietary systems that enhance the half-life, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of critical therapies while reducing associated toxicities. The company targets areas with unmet medical needs that its technology can uniquely address.

Through their pioneering work, ProLynx is paving the way for more convenient and effective therapeutic options, significantly impacting patient care and adherence to medication regimens.