iBio Discovers Novel Antibody Targeting Activin E in Collaboration with AstralBio
iBio (NYSEA: IBIO) and AstralBio have announced the development of a novel antibody that inhibits Activin E, marking a significant breakthrough in treating cardiometabolic disorders and obesity. Using iBio's patented Machine-Learning Antibody Engine, the companies overcame the challenge of targeting Activin E, which is traditionally difficult to produce outside the human body.
The developed antibody demonstrates sub-nanomolar kinetics and complete blockade of Activin E-mediated signaling in human adipocytes. Research indicates that individuals with protective loss-of-function mutation in the INHBE gene show improved cardiometabolic profiles, including reduced abdominal fat and lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
Under the collaboration terms, AstralBio has licensed iBio's Drug Discovery Platform for four cardiometabolic disease targets, while iBio maintains options on three targets from AstralBio. This achievement follows their recent developments in myostatin and Activin A targeting programs.
iBio (NYSEA: IBIO) e AstralBio hanno annunciato lo sviluppo di un nuovo anticorpo che inibisce Activin E, segnando una significativa svolta nel trattamento dei disturbi cardiometabolici e dell'obesità. Utilizzando il Motore di Anticorpi con Apprendimento Automatico brevettato da iBio, le aziende hanno superato la sfida di mirare ad Activin E, che è tradizionalmente difficile da produrre al di fuori del corpo umano.
L'anticorpo sviluppato dimostra cinetiche sub-nanomolari e un blocco completo della segnalazione mediata da Activin E negli adipociti umani. Le ricerche indicano che gli individui con mutazioni protettive di perdita di funzione nel gene INHBE mostrano profili cardiometabolici migliorati, inclusa una riduzione del grasso addominale e un rischio minore di diabete di tipo 2.
Secondo i termini della collaborazione, AstralBio ha concesso in licenza la piattaforma di scoperta di farmaci di iBio per quattro obiettivi di malattie cardiometaboliche, mentre iBio mantiene opzioni su tre obiettivi di AstralBio. Questo risultato segue i loro recenti sviluppi nei programmi di targeting di miostatina e Activin A.
iBio (NYSEA: IBIO) y AstralBio han anunciado el desarrollo de un nuevo anticuerpo que inhibe Activin E, marcando un avance significativo en el tratamiento de trastornos cardiometabólicos y la obesidad. Utilizando el Motor de Anticuerpos de Aprendizaje Automático patentado de iBio, las empresas superaron el desafío de dirigir Activin E, que tradicionalmente es difícil de producir fuera del cuerpo humano.
El anticuerpo desarrollado demuestra cinética sub-nanomolar y un bloqueo completo de la señalización mediada por Activin E en adipocitos humanos. Las investigaciones indican que las personas con mutaciones protectoras de pérdida de función en el gen INHBE muestran perfiles cardiometabólicos mejorados, incluyendo una reducción de grasa abdominal y un menor riesgo de diabetes tipo 2.
Bajo los términos de la colaboración, AstralBio ha licenciado la Plataforma de Descubrimiento de Fármacos de iBio para cuatro objetivos de enfermedades cardiometabólicas, mientras que iBio mantiene opciones sobre tres objetivos de AstralBio. Este logro sigue a sus recientes desarrollos en programas de targeting de miostatina y Activin A.
iBio (NYSEA: IBIO)와 AstralBio는 Activin E를 억제하는 새로운 항체의 개발을 발표하며, 심혈관 대사 장애 및 비만 치료에 있어 중요한 돌파구를 마련하였습니다. iBio의 특허받은 기계 학습 항체 엔진을 사용하여, 전통적으로 인체 외부에서 생산하기 어려운 Activin E를 타겟팅하는 과제를 극복했습니다.
개발된 항체는 아담 노멀의 반응을 나타내며, 인간 지방세포에서 Activin E 매개 신호전달을 완전히 차단합니다. 연구에 따르면, INHBE 유전자의 기능 상실 돌연변이를 가진 사람들은 복부 지방 감소와 제2형 당뇨병 위험 감소를 포함한 개선된 심혈관 대사 프로필을 보입니다.
협력 조건에 따라 AstralBio는 iBio의 약물 발견 플랫폼을 4개의 심혈관 대사 질환 타겟을 위해 라이센스 받았으며, iBio는 AstralBio의 3개 타겟에 대한 옵션을 유지합니다. 이 성과는 그들의 최근 미오스타틴 및 Activin A 타겟팅 프로그램 개발에 이어지는 것입니다.
iBio (NYSEA: IBIO) et AstralBio ont annoncé le développement d'un nouvel anticorps qui inhibe Activin E, marquant une avancée significative dans le traitement des troubles cardiométaboliques et de l'obésité. Grâce au moteur d'anticorps à apprentissage automatique breveté par iBio, les entreprises ont surmonté le défi de cibler Activin E, qui est traditionnellement difficile à produire en dehors du corps humain.
L'anticorps développé démontre des cinétiques sub-nanomolaires et un blocage complet de la signalisation médiée par Activin E dans les adipocytes humains. Les recherches montrent que les individus ayant une mutation protectrice de perte de fonction dans le gène INHBE présentent des profils cardiométaboliques améliorés, y compris une réduction de la graisse abdominale et un risque réduit de diabète de type 2.
Selon les termes de la collaboration, AstralBio a licencié la plateforme de découverte de médicaments d'iBio pour quatre cibles de maladies cardiométaboliques, tandis qu'iBio conserve des options sur trois cibles d'AstralBio. Cet accomplissement fait suite à leurs récents développements dans les programmes de ciblage de la myostatine et de l'Activin A.
iBio (NYSEA: IBIO) und AstralBio haben die Entwicklung eines neuartigen Antikörpers angekündigt, der Activin E hemmt, was einen bedeutenden Durchbruch bei der Behandlung von kardiometabolischen Erkrankungen und Fettleibigkeit darstellt. Mit Hilfe von iBio's patentierter Antikörper-Maschinenlern-Technologie haben die Unternehmen die Herausforderung überwunden, Activin E zu targetieren, das traditionell schwer außerhalb des menschlichen Körpers zu produzieren ist.
Der entwickelte Antikörper zeigt sub-nanomolare Kinetik und vollständige Blockade der von Activin E vermittelten Signalgebung in menschlichen Adipozyten. Forschungsergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass Personen mit schützenden Funktionsverlustmutationen im INHBE-Gen verbesserte kardiometabolische Profile aufweisen, einschließlich reduzierter Bauchfettmenge und einem geringeren Risiko für Typ-2-Diabetes.
Gemäß den Bedingungen der Zusammenarbeit hat AstralBio iBio's Arzneimittelentdeckungsplattform für vier Ziele kardiometabolischer Erkrankungen lizenziert, während iBio Optionen auf drei Ziele von AstralBio behält. Dieser Erfolg folgt auf ihre jüngsten Entwicklungen in den Programmen zur Zielverwirklichung von Myostatin und Activin A.
- First-in-industry development of functional antibody against Activin E
- Successful preclinical studies showing sub-nanomolar binding kinetics
- Complete blockade of Activin E-mediated signaling achieved in cell-based assays
- Expansion of therapeutic pipeline for cardiometabolic disorders
- Early-stage development with no immediate revenue potential
- Further testing required in more complex disease models
Insights
The development of a novel antibody targeting Activin E represents a significant technical breakthrough in the cardiometabolic and obesity therapeutic space. The successful targeting of Activin E, particularly given its production challenges outside the human body, demonstrates remarkable platform validation for iBio's AI-driven discovery approach.
The antibody's sub-nanomolar binding kinetics and complete blockade of Activin E signaling in human adipocytes are particularly impressive technical specifications. This level of potency suggests strong therapeutic potential, especially considering the genetic evidence from human pLOF mutations in INHBE showing improved cardiometabolic profiles.
The platform's ability to identify and engineer synthetic epitopes without requiring the target protein itself is a game-changing technical achievement that could accelerate future drug development timelines significantly. This could give iBio a considerable competitive advantage in the challenging protein therapeutic space.
This development positions iBio strategically in the
The ability to target both fat reduction and muscle preservation could differentiate iBio's approach from current GLP-1 treatments, potentially addressing key limitations in existing therapies. The platform validation could also attract additional partnership opportunities, enhancing iBio's market position despite its relatively small market cap of
However, investors should note that while this is a promising early-stage development, significant clinical validation and regulatory hurdles remain before any potential commercialization. The company's current market capitalization suggests substantial room for value appreciation if clinical development proves successful.
Achievement strengthens iBio’s partnered cardiometabolic and obesity program while showcasing its proprietary AI-driven drug and target discovery platform potential
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- iBio, Inc. (NYSEA: IBIO), an AI-driven innovator of precision antibody immunotherapies, in collaboration with AstralBio Inc., announced today the development of an antibody that inhibits the function of Activin E, a promising therapeutic target for cardiometabolic disorders and obesity using iBio’s patented Machine-Learning Antibody Engine. Developing an antibody against Activin E, a challenging and elusive target, highlights the robust capabilities of the technology to deliver innovative therapeutics, and contributes to iBio’s pipeline of development candidates. iBio plans to rapidly advance testing of this molecule and additional candidates in more complex and disease relevant models.
“Developing a functional antibody against Activin E, an achievement we believe to be an industry first, is a significant milestone for iBio,” said Martin Brenner, Ph.D., DVM, iBio’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer. “This breakthrough strengthens our efforts to expand our therapeutics pipeline for the treatment of cardiometabolic disorders and obesity with innovative next-generation solutions. We are excited about this program's advancement and our recently announced programs targeting Myostatin and Activin A as we build a pipeline of development candidates to address areas of high unmet need. This accomplishment also underscores the power and potential of our Machine Learning Antibody Engine in overcoming hard-to-drug targets and addressing some of the most pressing challenges in antibody discovery and development.”
Human genetics provide strong evidence for Activin E as a therapeutic target. Individuals with a protective loss-of-function (pLOF) mutation in the INHBE gene have a healthier cardiometabolic profile, including less abdominal fat, lower triglycerides, and lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease1,2. Targeting Activin E directly poses technical challenges for antibody discovery due to its extreme difficulty to produce outside the human body. Traditionally, antibody discovery requires direct injection of the target protein into the body. iBio overcame this challenge with its cutting-edge platform, which identified five critical epitope regions on the Activin E protein. Using its advanced epitope engineering technology, iBio developed synthetic epitopes replicating these regions. This groundbreaking method facilitated the creation of antibodies targeting all five epitopes without producing Activin E itself.
Data collected from preclinical studies conducted by iBio show strong antibody binding to Activin E and the ability to block its signaling. The compound discovered by iBio demonstrates exceptional potency, with binding experiments indicating sub-nanomolar kinetics. In multiple cell-based assays, including studies on human adipocytes, the antibody has achieved complete blockade of Activin E-mediated signaling. Activin E plays a significant role in regulating energy homeostasis in adipose tissue and overall metabolic health. While the current GLP-1 class of therapeutics has successfully reduced weight, next-generation therapeutics are needed to reverse the detrimental effects of obesity and improve overall health and quality-of-life for patients. By reducing the activity of Activin E and its receptors, researchers believe it may be possible to develop therapeutics that could decrease internal abdominal fat, while preserving muscle mass to reverse obesity, protect against diabetes, and improve overall metabolic health.
Under terms of their collaboration, AstralBio has an exclusive license to iBio’s Drug Discovery Platform to engineer four targets for treating cardiometabolic disease, along with the option to continue preclinical development. iBio also has the exclusive option to license three cardiometabolic targets from AstralBio, and will receive the rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize those targets upon exercise. In October of last year, the companies announced that they had rapidly advanced the joint myostatin program and just last week, iBio licensed an anti-myostatin from AstralBio and announced the development of a myostatin and Activin A bispecific antibody designed to promote weight loss, prevent muscle loss and weight regain, potentially enabling less frequent dosing than current obesity treatments.
“We’re very pleased with the progress we’re making in our collaboration with iBio to develop novel therapeutics for cardiometabolic disease and obesity,” said Patrick Crutcher, AstralBio’s Chief Executive Officer. “In less than a year, we have created a new antibody against an incredibly challenging target and identified a differentiated molecule for treating muscle wasting and obesity. This rapid pace of development showcases the technological innovation and efficiency of iBio’s platform and the scientific caliber of our teams. We look forward to continuing our work together.”
References
[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9399235/
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9329324/
About iBio, Inc.
iBio (NYSE: IBIO) is a cutting-edge biotech company leveraging AI and advanced computational biology to develop next-generation biopharmaceuticals for cardiometabolic diseases, obesity, cancer and other hard-to-treat diseases. By combining proprietary 3D modeling with innovative drug discovery platforms, iBio is creating a pipeline of breakthrough antibody treatments to address significant unmet medical needs. Our mission is to transform drug discovery, accelerate development timelines and unlock new possibilities in precision medicine. For more information, visit www.ibioinc.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
About AstralBio
AstralBio is a privately held biotechnology company founded by Patrick Crutcher and several former team members of ValenzaBio and AlmataBio. AstralBio's mission is to develop first-in-class or best-in-class medicines to treat cardiometabolic and immune-mediated diseases. The company plans to leverage iBio’s proven machine learning-enabled platform to accelerate the progression of novel therapeutic targets to transform patient care.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and include statements such as Activin E being a promising therapeutic target for obesity and metabolic disorders, developing a functional antibody against Activin E, being an industry first; the Company’s potential to address the broader quality-of-life challenges associated with obesity, including diabetes and muscle loss, with first-in-class solutions; developing therapeutics that could decrease internal abdominal fat and while preserving muscle mass to reverse obesity, protect against diabetes, and improve overall metabolic health by reducing the activity of Activin E and its receptors; and new therapeutics that inhibit Activin E holding great potential for increasing insulin sensitivity, decreasing fat accumulation, and improving muscle mass. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, the Company’s ability to develop Activin E being a promising therapeutic target for obesity and metabolic disorders and its ability to develop a therapeutic that addresses the broader quality-of-life challenges associated with obesity, including diabetes and muscle loss; and the other factors discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2024. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release on account of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.
Corporate Contact:
iBio, Inc.
Investor Relations
ir@ibioinc.com
Media Contacts:
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(858) 717-2310 or (646) 942-5604
FAQ
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