The development of a new drug is based on research carried out at MIT by Giovanni Traverso, a gastroenterologist and mechanical engineer, and Robert Langer, a chemical engineer known for founding over two dozen biotech companies. Initially, Traverso and Langer sought to create liquid drug formulations suitable for children, during which they discovered a mechanism allowing them to adjust the permeability of a synthetic coating. This ability to control absorption or slow it down led to potential applications in treating obesity.
Traverso explains that the material can be ingested as a capsule or liquid and naturally clears from the body the following day due to the mucosal turnover in the gastrointestinal tract. In 2022, Traverso, along with Langer and Dhanda, founded the company Syntis. The coating is compared to substances used by mussels and shellfish to adhere to rocks or the ocean floor.
In recent results presented by Syntis, the drug was administered in a liquid form directly to the small intestine to validate the expected formation of the polymer coating. Tablet forms of the drug have been tested in pigs and dogs, and Syntis plans to use this form in future human trials.
In studies involving rats, the drug achieved a consistent 1 percent weekly weight loss over six weeks without compromising lean muscle mass. A preliminary human study involving nine participants indicated that the drug was safe, with no adverse effects noted. Tissue samples confirmed the coating’s formation and its clearance from the body within 24 hours. Although the study did not aim to assess weight loss, blood tests showed that glucose levels and ghrelin, a hunger hormone, were reduced, while leptin levels, an appetite-regulating hormone, increased after administration of the drug.
Dhanda mentions that redirecting nutrients to different areas of the intestine activates pathways associated with satiety, energy expenditure, and sustainable weight loss. The findings suggest the drug’s potential for promoting weight loss without losing muscle mass, a concern with current GLP-1 medications, which are linked to muscle mass loss alongside weight loss.
Louis Aronne, an obesity medicine specialist and professor at Weill-Cornell Medical College, comments on the potential of Syntis’ compound as an early treatment option that could complement the personalization of obesity treatments. Aronne serves as a clinical adviser to Syntis.
Vladimir Kushnir, a professor of medicine and director of bariatric endoscopy at Washington University in St. Louis, finds the preliminary data encouraging but cautions against drawing conclusions from such a small study. He anticipates that side effects similar to those seen in gastric bypass surgery, such as bloating, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, and nausea, may become evident in larger studies.
While the technique is still in its early stages, if proven effective, it could offer an alternative or complement to existing GLP-1 medications for obesity treatment.
