EXT418 for Cachexia
Following close behind our lead program is our long-acting ghrelin peptide for cachexia, a complex metabolic syndrome characterized by involuntary weight and muscle loss that affects >1 million patients/year. Cancer and other devastating chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure and AIDS are often coupled with cachexia. Studies have shown that cancer patients who have cachexia respond poorly to chemotherapy, are at a greater risk of infection and have a reduced life expectancy. In fact, it is estimated that at least 30% of cancer patients die from cachexia, not cancer. Currently there are no FDA-approved therapies to treat cachexia. Ghrelin is a hormone made by the body that increases appetite and stimulates muscle growth. Ghrelin has already been shown to safely abrogate the affects of cachexia in numerous animal models as well as in many human trials. However, because of its short half-life, ghrelin must be administered 3-4 times daily or using an intravenous infusion in order to see these effects. This is simply not practical for patients with chronic diseases. Extend Biosciences’ D-VITylation platform technology is truly enabling for this short-lived peptide as it increases the half-life and improves the bioavailability of the peptide in the body. Reversing the effects of cachexia will significantly improve a cancer patient’s quality of life and chance of survival, as well as decrease the need for hospitalizations, resulting in reduced healthcare costs.