Unigene reports positive results on a novel peptide for reducing food consumption

21 January 2009

Biotech drugs developer Unigene Laboratories, Inc. will present data this week regarding a novel peptide that has been shown to reduce food consumption in animals.

Titled "Reduction in Food Consumption and Weight in Dogs by Oral Delivery of a Novel Anorexigenic Peptide," will be presented at the Keystone Symposium Conference on "Obesity: Novel Aspects of the Regulation of Body Weight" in Alberta, Canada.

The peptide, currently designated UGL269, is an analog of a natural peptide hormone, and was designed by Unigene scientists.

It was tested against two other peptides in a placebo-controlled crossover study and demonstrated significant reductions in food intake and body weight when orally administered to dogs.

The ability of UGL269 to reduce food intake was superior to that of other peptides reported to decrease food intake, including an analog of peptide PYY.

In the studies, oral administration of UGL269 resulted in a decrease in food intake by up to 50 per cent and a significant decrease in body weight.

Oral administration of an analog of peptide PYY resulted in a smaller reduction in food intake and minimal change in weight. Cessation of treatment with UGL269 resulted in a resumption of food intake to pre-dosing levels. Administration of placebo capsules had no effect on food intake.