Alaunos Reports Positive Preclinical Obesity Drug Results Across Weight, Liver, Insulin Markers

• Researchers observed treatment-linked improvements in body composition, including lower fat mass and relatively higher lean mass.
• The drug candidate was associated with lower fasting insulin, better insulin resistance readings and signs of reduced fatty liver activity.
• Alaunos said it is optimizing the drug’s formulation after some dose-related reductions in water intake affected part of the study data.

Alaunos Therapeutics (TCRT) shared new preclinical data for ALN1003, its experimental obesity drug candidate, on Tuesday. The oral treatment is being developed for obesity and related metabolic disorders without using hormones or incretin-based mechanisms.

The TCRT stock was, however, down 1.66% in pre-market trading. 

Study Combined Findings From Multiple Obesity Trials

The company combined data from two earlier non-Good Laboratory Practice (non-GLP) diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse studies reported on March 2 and May 18, along with new cross-study analyses released in a presentation published on Tuesday. The studies looked at how ALN1003 affected several key markers linked to obesity and metabolic disorders.

According to the company, the treatment was associated with lower body weight and reduced food intake. Researchers also observed lower fat mass and relatively higher lean mass levels in treated mice. 

Improvements Across Metabolic Health Markers

The data also pointed to improvements in insulin resistance and liver-related markers. Alaunos said treated mice showed lower fasting insulin levels and better HOMA-IR readings, which are commonly used to measure insulin resistance.

Researchers also reported signs of improved liver health. This included “lower liver weight, lower liver-injury and cholestatic enzymes and qualitative liver histology findings consistent with lower hepatic steatosis,” the company said.

Alaunos added that metabolic syndrome affects multiple organ systems in the body, and believes “a profile that engages several of these systems may be important for future therapeutic approaches.” 

Mouse Studies Showed Weight, Metabolic, Liver Improvements

Alaunos said the two DIO mouse studies evaluating ALN1003 showed improvements across many obesity and metabolic health markers. In the longer 48-day study, the drug was linked to lower body weight, improved insulin resistance markers, healthier fat-related hormone signaling and signs of better liver health.

In the shorter 18-day study, researchers tested multiple dose levels and observed changes in body weight, fat loss, glucose, cholesterol and liver weight.

TCRT Stock: What Does Retail Think?

Despite the study results, retail sentiment on Stocktwits turned “bearish” from “neutral” a day ago. 

Year-to-date, the TCRT stock has fallen nearly 28%.

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