This week, we talk about mitochondria and obesity with Jon Rees, co-founder and CEO of MitoRx Therapeutics, and also have a chat with Apeximmune Therapeutics’ CEO and founder Li-Fen Lee, and senior director of biology Kan Lu, about a new breakthrough in shrinking tumours.
Times:
03:11 MitoRx Therapeutics
25:06 Apeximmune Therapeutics
MitoRx Therapeutics
MitoRx Therapeutics is developing new treatments to restore healthy mitochondrial metabolism in patients living with high-risk obesity. Its first-in-class small molecule asset, MTRX31, targets the elimination of ectopic fat in people with metabolically unhealthy obesity, by restoring mitochondrial health rather than suppressing appetite.
Preclinical data for MTRX31 has shown superior magnitude, quality and durability of weight loss compared with tirzepatide in an industry-standard preclinical model of obesity. MTRX31-driven weight loss does not involve lean mass loss, meaning basal metabolic rate is maintained – providing durable, healthy weight loss.
The company recently presented new preclinical data at the EASD conference recently..
Apeximmune Therapeutics
Apeximmune Therapeutics, Inc. is an IND-stage biotechnology company in South San Francisco focused on developing novel immunotherapies for patients who do not respond to existing immune checkpoint inhibitors.
The company applies proprietary computational target discovery to identify mechanistically distinct immune checkpoints with the potential to expand the reach of immuno-oncology. The company recently saw its research published in Nature with a piece entitled “PLA2G2D in tumour-draining lymph nodes regulates anti-tumour immunity.”
The publication validated PLA2G2D as a novel and mechanistically distinct immune checkpoint capable of addressing resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy. The publication represents the convergence of two independent research programmes – one led by Apeximmune, the other by researchers at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands – that arrived at the same target using different approaches.
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