MYO Technology-delivered incretin receptor agonists achieve durable weight loss in obese mice

Current incretin receptor agonists (IRAs) like semaglutide and tirzepatide are highly effective for Type 2 Diabetes and obesity, but their short half-life necessitates weekly injections. This frequent dosing negatively impacts patient quality of life, adherence to therapy, and creates a significant financial burden for lifelong treatment. There's a critical need for therapies that offer sustained efficacy with minimal dosing to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

Researchers utilized the MYO Technology platform, which involves intramuscular injection and in vivo electroporation of therapeutic-encoding plasmid DNA into muscle cells. This platform was used to deliver engineered incretin receptor agonists (IRAs) to mouse models of diet-induced obesity. A single administration of the MYO Technology-delivered IRAs was performed. The primary endpoints were long-lasting weight and glucose control, with efficacy also assessed for IRAs engineered to facilitate blood-brain barrier penetration.

A single administration of MYO Technology-delivered incretin receptor agonists effectively promoted long-lasting weight and glucose control in mouse models of diet-induced obesity. The therapeutic benefits were remarkably durable, persisting beyond 1 year following this single treatment. Importantly, engineering the IRAs to facilitate blood-brain barrier penetration further enhanced treatment efficacy, suggesting a synergistic effect of central and peripheral action. This sustained effect contrasts sharply with the weekly dosing required for conventional IRAs. The study highlights the potential for gene-based delivery to provide continuous therapeutic levels.

A single administration of MYO Technology-delivered IRAs led to long-lasting weight and glucose control, with benefits persisting beyond 1 year.