Antag Therapeutics Secures €80 Million to Advance GIPR-Based Obesity Therapies

Following the FDA’s October 2024 clearance of Antag Therapeutics’ Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its lead molecule, AT-7687, the Copenhagen-based biopharmaceutical company has announced the successful closing of an €80 million Series A financing round.

The funding, led by Versant Ventures with participation from Novo Holdings, SR One, Dawn Biopharma (a KKR platform), Pictet, Longview Ventures, and Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO), will support the development of AT-7687 and the expansion of Antag’s pipeline of therapies.

AT-7687, a once-weekly subcutaneous antagonist of the Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide Receptor (GIPR), is designed to enhance weight loss and metabolic benefits in combination with GLP-1 receptor agonists or as a standalone maintenance therapy.

See also: A Booming Anti-Obesity Drug Discovery Landscape at a Glance (With Challenges)

Genetic studies indicate that individuals with naturally occurring GIPR variants associated with reduced receptor activity tend to have lower BMI and body fat, suggesting the potential for GIPR antagonism as a therapeutic strategy.

Alexander Hovard Sparre-Ulrich, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Antag Therapeutics, said:

"The backing of such a strong syndicate of global investors is a testament to our pioneering approach to developing novel therapies for patients with obesity. Coupled with our recent IND clearance, this investment allows us to accelerate the development of AT-7687 toward important clinical milestones. We believe our first-in-class peptide’s weight loss profile and flexible dosing will be key drivers of differentiation.”

AT-7687 is based on discoveries by co-founder Professor Jens Holst, known for identifying GLP-1, and includes the identification of an endogenous GIPR antagonist. The peptide is designed for co-administration with existing obesity treatments or as a standalone therapy, offering flexibility to optimize dosing for GIPR and GLP-1 targets separately.

Preclinical studies in non-human primates reportedly showed that AT-7687, in combination with GLP-1, achieved significant weight loss alongside improvements in glycemic control and lipid profiles, without gastrointestinal side effects.

Alex Mayweg, Ph.D., Managing Director at Versant Ventures and Antag board member, said:

"Antag’s peptides will have important advantages given their ability to be used alone or optimally combined with other incretin-based agents, in both weekly or monthly formats. GIP receptor antagonism is just beginning to reveal its incredible potential, both in diabetic and non-diabetic obesity, and we are pleased to be at the forefront of this developing field.”

Antag’s clinical trials for AT-7687 are set to begin in early 2025. These will explore the effects of the peptide as a monotherapy and in combination with a GLP-1 receptor agonist in obese patients. The company is also advancing its pipeline to include combinations beyond GLP-1 receptor agonists and a follow-on molecule for monthly administration.

Cover image: Olga Shestakova

Topics: Novel Therapeutics