Metsera Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company accelerating medicines for obesity and metabolic diseases, has officially launched. Founded by Population Health Partners and ARCH Venture Partners and led by former executives of The Medicines Company, Metsera is advancing a portfolio of oral and injectable incretin, non-incretin and combination therapies designed to address multiple targets and meet the future needs of a rapidly evolving weight loss treatment landscape.
 
“Metsera was purpose-built over the last two years to get ahead of the innovation curve in one of the largest and fastest-growing markets in the history of biopharma,” said Clive Meanwell, chief executive officer of Metsera. “We have assembled a portfolio of long-acting injectable and oral agents to address multiple next-generation weight loss goals. With a proven team of world experts across multiple company functions, leading healthcare investors and proprietary health technology tools, we are well-positioned to rapidly advance our clinical stage pipeline and create value for patients, health systems and investors.”
 
Kristina Burow, Metsera board member and managing director of ARCH Venture Partners, said: “Metsera’s portfolio is focused beyond the current generation of market leaders to address the full spectrum of future weight loss therapeutic needs, including effective weight maintenance, preserving muscle, less-frequent dosing, and better efficacy, tolerability and patient access.”
 
Metsera’s portfolio of injectable and oral development programs is sourced from the company’s proprietary library of over 20,000 gut hormone peptides and peptide/antibody conjugates. Development programs include parallel strategies and are focused on multiple next-generation targets and combinations. These include:
 

• GLP-1 portfolio: led by an injectable, fully-biased GLP-1 receptor agonist in Phase 1 clinical trials with “a potential class-leading duration of effect”
• A dual amylin/calcitonin receptor agonist (DACRA) engineered for “class-leading duration of effect” which is being combined with the GLP-1 receptor agonist
• A unimolecular GGG (GLP-1, GIP, Glucagon) engineered for “class-leading duration of effect” and combination with DACRA
• An oral peptide delivery platform, including two IND-ready candidates with “potential best-in-class bioavailability” and multiple first-in-class oral follow-on candidates
• A range of other early-stage programs and delivery modalities