Hoth Therapeutics Announces Groundbreaking Positive Results: Hoth's HT-VA GDNF Surpasses Semaglutide in Weight Loss, Glucose Control, and Liver Health in Obesity Model

Core Insights - Hoth Therapeutics announced positive preclinical results for its HT-VA GDNF treatment, showing superior efficacy over semaglutide in weight loss, glucose control, and liver health in obesity models [1] Study Design and Results - The study was conducted at the Srinivasan Lab with support from the Veterans Administration, using CF-1 mice to model human obesity over a 12-week period [1] - GDNF reduced liver weight by 20-30% and prevented adipose tissue accumulation in female mice, outperforming semaglutide [1] - GDNF fully normalized fasting glucose levels and improved glucose response, showing broader metabolic benefits in both female and male models [1] - In female mice on a high-fat diet, GDNF reduced weight gain by 10-15%, leading to a plateau in weight, unlike semaglutide which had no significant impact [1] Market Potential - GDNF's differentiated mechanism could address limitations of current GLP-1 agonists, such as gastrointestinal side effects and muscle loss, positioning it as a potential gamechanger in the $200 billion obesity market [1] - With obesity affecting over 1 billion people globally and MASLD impacting up to 30% of adults, GDNF's multi-faceted benefits could revolutionize treatment paradigms [1] Future Plans - Hoth plans to accelerate GDNF toward IND-enabling studies, targeting clinical trials in 2027 [1] - The GDNF program is part of a robust pipeline that includes HT-001 for cancer-related skin toxicities, HT-KIT for mast cell cancers, and HT-ALZ for Alzheimer's [1]