Metabolic & muscle aging
BGE-105 (azelaprag)
Apelin receptor APJ agonist
Lead indication: obesity
Potential for best-in-class oral performance with GLP-1
Apelin is a small peptide hormone secreted in response to exercise. It regulates multiple aspects of metabolism and muscle biology.
Analysis of our proprietary longitudinal human aging cohorts revealed that overall apelin levels decrease over one's lifetime. However, people with higher apelin levels have higher physical function and longer lifespan.
BGE-105 is an oral agonist of the apelin receptor, APJ. In a trial of older healthy volunteers at bedrest, BGE-105 significantly prevented muscle atrophy and maintained muscle metabolism. In preclinical studies with diet-induced obese mice, co-administration of BGE-105 and GLP-1 doubled total weight loss compared to GLP-1 alone and normalized body composition to that of lean controls.
We are developing BGE-105 as an oral obesity therapy for co-administration with GLP-1 agonists to amplify overall weight loss and improve body composition. We are also developing it as an IV formulation to prevent ICU diaphragmatic atrophy and critical illness myopathy in older intubated patients.
BGE-105 (azelaprag)
BGE-105 (azelaprag)
BGE-105 activates apelin / APJ signaling,
which increases increases energy
expenditure & preserves muscle
BGE-105 activates apelin / APJ signaling,
which increases increases energy expenditure
& preserves muscle
BGE-105 activates
apelin / APJ signaling,
which increases
increases energy
expenditure & preserves
muscle
Exercise stimulates release of apelin from skeletal muscle into systemic circulation
BioAge collaborator spotlight
Preserving muscle is key to independence and vitality in older people - as well as supporting a healthy metabolic state. Consistent with its role as an exerkine, apelin prevents muscle atrophy while improving systemic metabolism in both aged and obese mice. It is exciting to see human trials of the oral apelin receptor agonist, BGE-105, that aim to recapitulate both of these positive effects of apelin peptide.
Cédric Dray, PhD
Faculty of Science & Engineering
Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse III
Obesity: Increase weight loss &
improve body composition
Obesity: Increase weight loss &
improve body composition
Obesity: Increase
weight loss & improve
body composition
Increase overall weight loss
Improve body composition
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GLP-1 agonists have recently been approved to treat obesity and result in significant weight loss
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However, there are key unmet needs:
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Oral performance. Next-gen focus is orals given strong patient preference, but efficacy lags injectables
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Healthier weight loss. GLP-1s result in suboptimal body composition (lean vs. fat)
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BGE-105 + GLP-1 has the potential for best-in-class oral performance in weight loss - as well as body composition
