GLP-1R agonist antibody

The Company has chosen to isolate agonist antibodies for GLP1R, one of the several GPCRs involved in human glucose homeostasis.

Glucagon Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) is the cognate ligand of GLP1R. It is a hormone with a short half-life secreted by intestinal L-cells in response to post-meal glucose surge, induces secretion of insulin from the pancreas and allows the body to maintain a glucose balance.

In recent years, GLP-1 based treatment has emerged as the medication of choice for treating Type 2 Diabetes because of the lower risk of hypoglycemia. Current GLP-1 drugs are mostly incretin mimetics that mimic the action of GLP-1 but with an elongated half-life. Dosing intervals for these drugs range from twice daily to once a week.

The Company's GLP1R agonist antibodies will likely outperform the GLP-1 mimetics currently on market, because antibody drugs generally have longer half-life in the body than small peptides.