Fractyl Health Announces Potent Preclinical Results from RJVA-002, a Dual GIP/GLP-1 Gene Therapy Candidate for Obesity

Core Insights - Fractyl Health, Inc. announced promising preclinical data for RJVA-002, indicating a potential for significant weight loss in obesity treatment, achieving approximately 30% weight loss over five weeks in a mouse model, with no observed adverse effects [1][2][3] Company Overview - Fractyl Health is focused on innovative metabolic therapeutics aimed at addressing the root causes of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) [9] - The company has a robust intellectual property portfolio with 33 granted U.S. patents and around 40 pending applications [9] Product Development - RJVA-002 is the second candidate from the Rejuva Smart GLP-1 platform, which aims to provide a durable treatment for obesity and T2D [1][7] - The Rejuva platform utilizes gene therapy to enable long-term remission of metabolic diseases by reprogramming pancreatic islet cells to produce metabolic hormones [7][10] - RJVA-001, the first candidate from the Rejuva platform, is expected to enter clinical trials in 2026 for T2D patients [7][10] Preclinical Study Results - In a diet-induced obesity mouse model, a single administration of RJVA-002 resulted in a mean weight loss of 18% and 29% for mid- and high-dose cohorts, respectively, by day 35 [3][2] - The weight loss trajectory for RJVA-002 has not yet plateaued, indicating potential for sustained effects [2][3] Future Directions - The company plans to present further results from ongoing studies at upcoming scientific congresses, which will include metabolic measurements [4] - Fractyl Health aims to transform the treatment paradigm for obesity and T2D from chronic disease management to durable remission [3][10]