Biophytis targets mobility restoration in patients with obesity
Biophytis strentghens its position as one of the leading players in preserving muscle function in patients with obesity treated with GLP-1 therapies. While these treatments are revolutionizing obesity care by delivering significant weight loss, they also induce a concerning loss of muscle mass, which can compromise patients’ mobility, strength, and quality of life. It is now essential to move beyond viewing weight loss purely in quantitative terms and focus instead on the quality of weight loss—meaning the reduction of fat mass while preserving muscle mass and improving functional mobility. The development of BIO101 in combination with GLP-1 medications is fully aligned with this goal.
The recently disclosed preclinical results demonstrate that the drug candidate BIO101, in combination with GLP-1 therapies, enables high-quality weight loss and improves muscle function and strength.
Biophytis is thus specifically targeting a high-value subpopulation: patients with obesity treated with GLP-1 therapies. Thanks to its mechanism of action, BIO101 paves the way for a new generation of combination treatments focused on the quality of weight loss and the restoration of mobility for patients.
In a global obesity market projected to reach $100 billion by 20301, this progress addresses a major and unmet need, as 96% of patients with obesity experience a specific impairment in muscle strength2. Beyond market potential, Biophytis is establishing itself as a leader in the future commercialization of a therapeutic arsenal to meet this need. Lilly’s acquisition of Versanis for nearly $2 billion in 2023 demonstrates that pharmaceutical companies are recognizing the need to combine GLP-1s with other molecules to limit muscle mass loss. Biophytis is the only player in the market offering a solution primarily focused on muscle quality and mobility restoration.
Stanislas Veillet, CEO of Biophytis, stated: “GLP-1 treatments have marked a major step forward in the fight against obesity, but they expose patients to a loss of muscle mass, which can have serious consequences.
BIO101 is a game-changer because it should allow when combined with GLP-1 not only for weight loss, but also for preserving muscle mass and improving mobility. This is a unique opportunity for Biophytis to address an unmet medical need in a rapidly expanding market.”
1 Source : Goldman Sachs Intelligence, Anti-obesity market
2 Source : Valenzuela et al. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (2020) 21:200, (2) Obesity management strategies should cut fat, not muscle | International Journal of Obesity