We are researching effective therapies against obesity

Mission

Percentage of Adults worldwide who are overweight
Percentage of adolescents worldwide who are obese
Share of the world population forecast to be overweight by 2025

alytas therapeutics GmbH is a spin-off of the University Hospital Jena with the mission to develop novel antibody-based therapeutic concepts for the treatment of morbid obesity (adiposity). Obesity is one of the greatest risk factors for human health and mental well-being in the 21st century (Robert Koch Institute).

Since 1975, the prevalence of obesity has tripled. In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight (25 - 29.9 kg/m²) and 650 million were obese (≥ 30 kg/m²) (WHO).  If current trends continue, an estimated 2.7 billion adults will be overweight, more than 1 billion will be obese, and 177 million adults will be severely obese by 2025.
Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases.

The Company has know-how and patents on various antigen epitopes with demonstrated relevance with respect to novel therapeutic immunological regulation of excessive amounts of hypertrophic adipocytes.

Challenges

Consequential diseases of obesity

 

Overweight and obesity are risk factors for a wide range of diseases, including:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Diabetes (including blindness, limb amputation, need for dialysis)
  • various cancers

The risk for these non-communicable diseases increases with even mild obesity and increases with increasing body mass index (BMI) (www.who.int).

Annual health care costs for the treatment of obesity-related diseases were over USD 850 billion in 2018 (corresponding to about 5% of total health care spending in developed countries!) and are expected to rise to over USD 1.2 trillion by 2025 (World Obesity Federation (WOF) 2017).

Unhealthy expansion of white adipose tissue plays a central role in obesity-related diseases. This expansion is characterized by hypertrophy of fat cells. Hypertrophic adipocytes lead to constant inflammation in adipose tissue, infiltration of immune cells, decreased adipogenesis, and reduced insulin sensitivity.

Solution approach

The treatment option being researched by alytas therapeutics is unique to date. For the first time, antibodies are used that specifically bind hypertrophic adipocytes and, in interaction with the body's own immune system, lead to a targeted and sustained elimination of hypertrophic adipocytes. The approach was identified by the scientific founders in patients and verified in vitro.

In collaboration with VERAXA GmbH in Heidelberg, alytas therapeutics is developing antibodies against hypertrophic adipocytes, which will subsequently be characterized in vitro by CureDiab Metabolic Research GmbH. 

Our project partner

Imprint

alytas therapeutics GmbH
Hans-Knöll-Straße 6, D-07745 Jena
post@alytastherapeutics.com
www.alytastherapeutics.com
CEO: Dr. Alexander Zink
Local court Jena HRB 514860
Value added tax identification number as per § 27a UStG: DE319480398

© alytas therapeutics GmbH