Novo Nordisk Partners with EraCal Therapeutics to Discover Next-Generation Obesity Therapies

Today, EraCal Therapeutics announced a research and development collaboration with Novo Nordisk to jointly discover and modulate innovative drug targets related to food intake and other metabolic phenotypes. Under the joint research plan, EraCal and Novo Nordisk will explore the potential of novel molecules as anti-obesity therapies. This research will be conducted in zebrafish larvae, an emerging vertebrate drug discovery platform, aiming to provide insights into identifying potential new targets within signaling pathways that control metabolic health.

The central nervous system plays an important role in controlling animal behaviors such as food intake, but this process is difficult to explore in vitro. EraCal's technology is based on research results from the University of Zurich and Harvard University. It enables large-scale analysis of complex phenotypes like food intake in a complete living organism. This technology can not only screen compounds based on in vivo bioavailability and toxicity but also detect adverse effects of potential drug candidates in the central nervous system. These features allow it to identify compounds with greater specificity in vivo.

Image Source: EraCal Therapeutics Official Website

EraCal's peer-reviewed research demonstrates the feasibility and translational validation of this phenotypic screening platform. The company’s two investigational therapies, Era-107 and Era-309, target novel neural circuits in the brain that regulate satiety and appetite.

Reference: [1] EraCal Therapeutics enters into Research Collaboration with Novo Nordisk. Retrieved January 17, 2022, from https://f44c7313-2fff-4af2-9866-6e7ddce4bff3.filesusr.com/ugd/b8426d_d947066783a14d0090c862ce22e742e1.pdf

Original Title: Express | Uncovering the Next Generation of Weight Loss Therapies, Novo Nordisk Forges Collaboration

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