Syntis Bio Enters Lucrative Weight Loss Market to Compete with GLP-1s

Boston-based biotechnology company Syntis Bio announced its launch on Tuesday, aiming to pioneer alternatives to GLP-1 receptor agonists for obesity and other metabolic and rare conditions.

The company's main focus is on SYNT-101, an oral medication being developed to treat obesity. This drug is intended to be taken once daily and functions by blocking nutrient absorption in the duodenum, redirecting these nutrients to the lower small intestine where absorption is more regulated.

Syntis claims that this mechanism of action mirrors the effects of gastric bypass surgery by initiating signaling cascades that generate satiety hormones like GLP-1. Currently, SYNT-101 is being tested in a human trial to preliminarily evaluate its safety and tolerability, as well as its efficacy in inhibiting nutrient absorption in the upper small intestine. Complete results from this early study are anticipated by the end of 2024, which will be critical for the company's Investigational New Drug (IND) application in 2025.

Syntis co-founder and CEO Rahul Dhanda stated that while GLP-1 drugs have offered significant benefits, there is a considerable need for more treatment options due to issues related to accessibility, cost, side effects, and long-term sustainability. According to Dhanda, SYNT-101 has shown "encouraging results so far" in its human trials, highlighting its potential as either an alternative or a complementary therapy for obesity.

The launch of Syntis coincides with a period of significant growth in the obesity market. Analysts recently estimated that the value of GLP-1 receptor agonists could surpass $150 billion by the early 2030s. This class of drugs is expected to dominate the metabolic diseases sector through the end of the decade as obesity rates continue to rise and supply chains stabilize.

Currently, the weight-loss market is primarily controlled by Novo Nordisk with its product Wegovy (semaglutide) and Eli Lilly with Zepbound (tirzepatide). These two companies are projected to capture approximately 80% of the multibillion-dollar market. However, other companies, such as Amgen and Boehringer Ingelheim, are also developing their own GLP-1 therapies.

Syntis aims to enter this lucrative obesity market by targeting a different biological pathway. SYNT-101 was created using Syntis' proprietary SYNT platform, which uses mussel-inspired polymer chemistry to coat catalase-rich tissues, like the duodenum, with a safe and temporary polydopamine layer. According to the company, this coating can last up to 24 hours before it is naturally expelled from the body.

The SYNT platform holds promise for a range of therapeutic effects. Beyond nutrient exclusion, the platform could potentially target different tissues or enhance the bioavailability of oral drugs. Dhanda commented that by tapping into the therapeutic potential of the small intestine, Syntis is paving the way for more effective treatments for a wide array of conditions.

In addition to obesity, the Syntis platform aims to develop new treatments for diabetes and rare diseases such as homocystinuria and maple syrup urine disease.

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