Metsera Launches to Lead the Next Generation of Medicines for Obesity and Metabolic Diseases
April 18 2024 - 7:00AM
Business Wire
Advancing a broad portfolio designed to
accelerate innovation and shape the future of treatment for weight
loss, obesity-related conditions and metabolic diseases
Clinical-stage pipeline includes oral and
injectable incretin, non-incretin and combination therapies
designed with best-in-class profiles to address multiple targets
and meet the future needs of a rapidly evolving weight loss
treatment landscape
Founded by Population Health Partners and ARCH
Venture Partners; $290 million in financing raised from a syndicate
of leading healthcare investors
Metsera, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company
accelerating the next generation of medicines for obesity and
metabolic diseases, announced its launch today. Founded by
Population Health Partners and ARCH Venture Partners and led by
former executives of The Medicines Company, Metsera is rapidly
advancing a broad portfolio of oral and injectable incretin,
non-incretin and combination therapies designed with best-in-class
profiles to address multiple targets and meet the future needs of a
rapidly evolving weight loss treatment landscape.
“Metsera was purpose-built over the last two years to get ahead
of the innovation curve in one of the largest and fastest growing
markets in the history of biopharma,” said Clive Meanwell, chief
executive officer of Metsera. “We have assembled a portfolio of
long-acting injectable and oral agents to address multiple
next-generation weight loss goals. With a proven team of world
experts across multiple company functions, leading healthcare
investors and proprietary health technology tools, we are
well-positioned to rapidly advance our clinical stage pipeline and
create value for patients, health systems and investors.”
Metsera has raised $290 million in financing led by ARCH Venture
Partners with participation from other leading healthcare investors
including F-Prime Capital, GV, Mubadala Capital, Newpath Partners,
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and other undisclosed investors.
“We are in the early days of an incredibly exciting new era of
innovation in weight loss and obesity-associated diseases,” said
Kristina Burow, Metsera board member and managing director of ARCH
Venture Partners. “Metsera’s portfolio is focused beyond the
current generation of market leaders to address the full spectrum
of future weight loss therapeutic needs, including effective weight
maintenance, preserving muscle, less-frequent dosing, and better
efficacy, tolerability and patient access.”
Advancing Broad Portfolio of Next-generation Weight Loss
Medicines
Metsera’s portfolio of next-generation injectable and oral
development programs is sourced from the company’s proprietary
library of over 20,000 gut hormone peptides and peptide/antibody
conjugates. Development programs include parallel strategies and
are focused on multiple next-generation targets and combinations.
These include:
- GLP-1 portfolio: led by an injectable, fully-biased GLP-1
receptor agonist in Phase 1 clinical trials with a potential
class-leading duration of effect
- A dual amylin/calcitonin receptor agonist (DACRA) engineered
for class-leading duration of effect which is being combined with
the GLP-1 receptor agonist
- A unimolecular GGG (GLP-1, GIP, Glucagon) engineered for
class-leading duration of effect and combination with DACRA
- An oral peptide delivery platform, including two IND-ready
candidates with potential best-in-class bioavailability and
multiple first-in-class oral follow-on candidates
- A range of other early-stage programs and delivery
modalities
“Metsera’s portfolio is designed to unlock new treatment
strategies through scalable, sustainable and personalized
interventions for weight loss, weight maintenance and disease
prevention,” said Sir Stephen R. Bloom, FMedSci, FRS, senior vice
president of research and development at Metsera and head of drug
development, metabolism, digestion and reproduction at Imperial
College London. “Through optimized combinations of injectable and
oral peptides, we aim to establish a cycle of continuous and
responsive innovation to address a growing worldwide obesity
crisis.”
About Metsera
Metsera is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company
accelerating the next generation of medicines for obesity and
metabolic diseases. Metsera is advancing a broad portfolio of oral
and injectable incretin, non-incretin and combination therapies
with potential best-in-class profiles to address multiple
therapeutic targets and meet the future needs of a rapidly evolving
weight loss treatment landscape. Founded in 2022 by Population
Health Partners and ARCH Venture Partners, Metsera has raised $290
million in financing from leading healthcare investors and is based
in New York City. For more information, please visit us at
www.metsera.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
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Dan Budwick 1AB dan@1abmedia.com