Syntis Bio, a startup aiming to deliver sufferers a key advantage of gastric bypass surgical procedure however within the type of a tablet, has raised $33 million as its lead program continues early medical growth as a possible new therapy for weight problems.
The Collection A financing introduced Tuesday was led by Cerberus Ventures.
Syntis’s strategy to weight problems includes redirecting nutrient uptake. This duodenal nutrient exclusion occurs in gastric bypass surgical procedure, with vitamins that might usually be absorbed within the higher a part of the small gut redirected to the distal a part of the organ. That’s essential as a result of this area of the small gut stimulates secretion of GLP-1 and different hormones that promote emotions of satiety.
In contrast to the everlasting nature of gastric bypass surgical procedure, Syntis’s nutrient redirection is momentary. The startup’s know-how, referred to as SYNT (quick for SYNthetic Tissue-lining), makes use of a capsule to ship compounds that type a short lived polymer coating to line the duodenum, the higher a part of the small gut. This lining lasts about 24 hours, after which it’s naturally cleared from the physique.
Syntis’s weight problems program, SYNT-101, is being developed as a once-daily tablet. In preclinical analysis in rodents offered in April in the course of the European Congress on Weight problems and Weight Administration, outcomes confirmed constant 1% weekly weight reduction over the six week examine interval. The experimental therapy additionally preserved muscle mass, which is essential as a result of muscle loss is a facet impact of presently accessible weight problems medication. Syntis additionally offered knowledge from a pilot examine in people. Outcomes confirmed proof of nutrient redirection and modulation of satiety hormones. SYNT-101 was secure and nicely tolerated; no antagonistic occasions have been reported.
Past supporting SYNT-101 by means of Part 1 testing, the brand new funding may also allow Syntis to start a Part 1 examine for SYNT-202, an oral enzyme remedy in growth for homocystinuria. This uncommon inherited illness results in deficiency of the enzyme wanted to interrupt down homocysteine, an amino acid. Signs embody developmental delays and imaginative and prescient issues. Present therapy choices for homocystinuria contains vitamin dietary supplements and dietary restrictions.
The SYNT platform know-how comes from the analysis of Giovanni Traverso and Robert Langer, each professors of biomedical engineering at MIT. Past nutrient exclusion, this know-how might be engineered to put in and maintain gut-restricted enzymes within the small bowel. The corporate says its strategy also can improve the oral bioavailability of medicine and goal new tissues all through the physique.
Syntis was co-founded by Traverso, Langer, and CEO Rahul Dhanda. The startup raised $15.5 million in seed financing in 2023 and launched final yr. Two Small Enterprise Innovation Analysis Awards in 2024 are supporting ongoing growth of the SYNT platform. Syntis’s newest financing contains new traders Mansueto Investments, Woori Enterprise Companions and Apollo Labs. Founding traders BOLD Capital Companions, W. R. Berkley Company, Safar Companions, Portal Improvements, Colorcon Ventures and Cerity Companions Ventures additionally participated.
Protagonist Therapeutics Joins the Weight problems Area With a Triple-Performing Drug
Protagonist Therapeutics had been telling traders it anticipated to appoint an oral drug candidate for weight problems within the second quarter of this yr. After the market shut on the final day of the quarter, it lastly unveiled this system.
Protagonist’s PN-4770 is a peptide engineered to bind to and activate three targets, the GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors. Along with the once-daily oral formulation, the corporate mentioned it’ll additionally develop a once-weekly injectable model.
By going after GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon with a single drug, Protagonist joins a aggressive mixture of firms pursuing these targets. Eli Lilly’s broad cardiometabolic medical growth program for its drug candidate, retatrutide, contains an ongoing pivotal take a look at in weight problems. Optimistic Part 2 outcomes for once-weekly injectable retatrutide have been introduced in 2023. In March, Novo Nordisk agreed to pay $200 million up entrance for international rights (excluding better China) to a once-weekly injectable United Biotechnology peptide drug that addresses GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon. The pipeline of startup Kailera Therapeutics, which launched final fall, contains an injectable drug that addresses the three targets. An oral small molecule possibility may come from Septerna, whose pipeline features a discovery-stage program for the targets.
Protagonist mentioned preclinical analysis is underway that would help the submitting of an investigational new drug software for PN-4770. The corporate expects to start human testing for this drug within the second quarter of 2026. As of the top of the primary quarter of this yr, Protagonist reported its money place was $697.9 million, which it anticipated would help the corporate at the very least by means of the top of 2028.
Picture: OsakaWayne Studios, through Getty Pictures
