VC firm Versant Ventures is unveiling Pep2Tango Therapeutics, a biotech developing next-gen obesity therapeutics with multiple targets in hopes of overcoming limitations tied to GLP-1 treatments.
The start-up is home to tetra-receptor agonist peptides targeting GLP-1, GIP, amylin and calcitonin receptors, according to a Nov. 21 release. The combination of four targets in one molecule is designed to overcome muscle mass loss tied with GLP-1-based therapies, as well as tolerability issues, according to the company release.
The biotech is currently entering Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies for its lead obesity candidate, with an IND submission expected next year.
Pep2Tango launched in 2021 and is helmed by President and CEO Cristina Rondinone, Ph.D., who has formerly served as Cellarity’s president and AstraZeneca’s SVP and head of cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases.
Rondinone is joined by Pep2Tango Chief Scientific Officer Soumitra Ghosh, Ph.D., biotech founder and previous executive director for research at Amylin Pharmaceuticals.
Versant has provided a “significant, undisclosed round,” to finance the company, according to the release.
“We are convinced that the company’s tetra-receptor agonists have best-in-category potential with respect to magnitude and quality of weight loss, as well as improving metabolic and cardiovascular health, that could redefine obesity treatment,” Carlo Rizzuto, Ph.D., managing director at Versant and a Pep2Tango board member, said in the release.
The biotech also aims to create next-gen peptide drugs across metabolic, endocrine, CNS and cardiovascular disorders.