Olix announced on July 30 that its obesity drug candidate, "OLX501A," significantly outperformed a global rival compound in reducing visceral fat during a head-to-head study in obese nonhuman primates. The KOSDAQ-listed biotech firm—which develops RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics for obesity, hair loss, and ophthalmic diseases—noted that the findings highlight the candidate's potential to improve overall body composition by targeting body fat rather than simply reducing weight.
The study evaluated OLX501A against a leading global candidate in obese monkeys selected based on weight and body fat parameters. Researchers administered both compounds at a dose of 3 mg/kg twice at one-month intervals, subsequently assessing target-gene suppression rates, visceral fat reductions, and efficacy-related biomarkers.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis conducted 49 days post-dosing revealed that, after adjusting for baseline values and food intake, visceral fat in the OLX501A group dropped by 29.2%. In contrast, the rival-compound group recorded a 10.0% reduction, while the control group saw an 11.1% increase over the same period, demonstrating OLX501A's superior efficacy in visceral fat reduction.
Olix is developing OLX501A to promote fat loss without relying on appetite suppression by inhibiting the expression of the ALK7 gene in fat cells to stimulate lipolysis.
At 70 days post-dosing, OLX501A demonstrated an ALK7 target-gene suppression rate of approximately 90% in subcutaneous fat—a level comparable to the rival compound. However, the pronounced difference in visceral fat reduction suggests that OLX501A translated target suppression into actual lipolysis and improved body composition more effectively, according to the company.
OLX501A utilizes Olix’s proprietary, adipose tissue-targeting siRNA platform, "OASIS-Adipose." The company optimized the platform and candidate to enhance delivery efficiency to fat cells and extend therapeutic efficacy, using the refined formulation in this primate study.
"OLX501A is being developed with the goal of improving body composition by selectively reducing body fat while preserving muscle mass as much as possible, rather than simply lowering body weight," said Olix CEO Lee Dong-ki. "We will push forward seamlessly with nonclinical development to submit a clinical trial application in the first half of 2027."
