LAE102 Developer Laekna Pharma-B (02105) Gains Spotlight with Novo Nordisk Collaboration on 'Muscle Gain, Fat Loss' Therapy Amid Booming Weight-Loss Market

Recently, the market discussion on "muscle gain and fat loss" has intensified. Zhitong Finance discovered from relevant pharmaceutical financial reports that at the 84th annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) this year, Novo Nordisk and its partner presented research findings related to a "human tissue-engineered muscle function research platform," drawing attention to Novo Nordisk's research collaborator—Laekna Therapeutics (02105).

A retrospective study suggests that nearly 40% of the weight lost by participants using semaglutide was muscle, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and even leading to sarcopenia. For this reason, "increasing muscle while reducing fat"...

Becoming a popular research direction in the field of weight-loss drugs. At this year's ADA conference, several pharmaceutical companies, including Regeneron and Biohaven, showcased the progress of their R&D pipelines in the direction of fat reduction and muscle gain.

But in this direction, Laekna Therapeutics' self-developed LAE102 (ActRIIA monoclonal antibody) and Bimagrumab, which was acquired by Eli Lilly for $1.95 billion, are the pioneers in this field.

According to the Zhitong Finance APP, the ActRII target simultaneously possesses multiple key characteristics of a new generation of weight loss therapies, such as weight reduction, muscle gain, and no rebound. LAE102, independently developed by Laekna Therapeutics, mainly targets ActRIIA, a new target involved in the regulation of muscle regeneration and lipid metabolism.

In previous preclinical studies, LAE102 has demonstrated the ability to increase muscle and reduce fat. Data shows that the combination of LAE102 with a GLP-1 receptor agonist can further reduce fat and significantly mitigate muscle loss caused by the GLP-1 receptor agonist.

This time, the collaborative research between Laekna Therapeutics and Novo Nordisk has sparked widespread discussion and speculation in both the industry and the market. The focus of market attention is whether the collaboration between Novo Nordisk and Laekna Therapeutics will extend from the research end to the product end.

As is known to all, in the GLP-1RA drug market, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have each taken up half of the market share, and this market is expected to exceed 150 billion US dollars by 2031. Currently, Eli Lilly has spent 1.95 billion US dollars to purchase Bimagrumab in the hope that it will help Tirzepatide overtake Semaglutide in the new track of fat reduction and muscle gain.

For Novo Nordisk, it is urgent to have an ActRIIA drug to assist in "defending the position" of semaglutide, and Laekna Therapeutics' LAE102 has shown excellent complementary compatibility with semaglutide in terms of fat reduction and muscle gain. In addition, LAE102 is the world's second ActRIIA monoclonal antibody for overweight/obesity indications to enter formal clinical trials after Bimagrumab. Moreover, from the approval of clinical trials to the completion of the first subject dosing, it only took 1.5 months, demonstrating Laekna Therapeutics' efficient execution and cooperation value.

Currently, to accelerate the development and commercialization of LAE102, Laekna Therapeutics is also seeking strategic partners. It is precisely this two-way collaboration with Novo Nordisk that is expected to place Laekna Therapeutics at the forefront of the global weight-loss market, which is worth tens of billions, thereby achieving its own valuation leap.