Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Advances Clinical Trials For RNAi-Based Obesity Therapies

Today, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that it has begun dosing participants in a Phase 1/2a clinical trial for ARO-INHBE. The trial is for an investigational RNA interference (RNAi) therapy developed as a potential treatment for obesity. This marks a key milestone in the company's efforts to address the global obesity epidemic. The company has also submitted a regulatory request to start clinical trials for its second obesity candidate, ARO-ALK7. Both therapies target a specific biological pathway responsible for signalling the body to store fat in adipose tissue. 

James Hamilton, M.D., Chief of Discovery and Translational Medicine at Arrowhead, said in a statement, “ARO-INHBE is an important program for Arrowhead that complements our strategic focus on developing and commercialising important RNAi-based therapies for cardiometabolic diseases. Further, our preclinical studies have yielded promising results for this novel mechanism to reduce body weight and potentially preserve lean muscle mass, resulting in improved body composition. The Phase 1/2 study will evaluate ARO-INHBE as a monotherapy in part 1 and as a combination therapy with tirzepatide in part 2, with both parts enrolling obese patients.”