Aardvark Therapeutics announces preclinical data on ARD-201

Aardvark Therapeutics (AARD) announced new positive preclinical data demonstrating the potential of ARD-201 for the treatment of metabolic obesity and obesity-related conditions. Data in the validated diet-induced obesity mouse model demonstrated potential applications for ARD-201, including for the attenuation of weight gain after withdrawal from GLP-1RA therapies, as a monotherapy for weight loss without GLP-1RA therapy, as well as for weight loss in combination with GLP-1RA therapy. Details of the study will be submitted for peer review publication. In a study designed to show the potential of ARD-201 as a weight loss therapy, DIO mice treated with oral ARD-201 showed substantial weight loss of approximately 19% after 30 days of treatment. Additional studies assessed the impact of ARD-201 alone and in combination with low dose tirzepatide after 15 days of treatment with high-dose tirzepatide. In that study, ARD-201 as a monotherapy showed improved weight maintenance compared to the negative control and demonstrated similar weight maintenance compared to continued treatment with high-dose tirzepatide, a benchmark therapy within the GLP-1RA class. Moreover, the combination of ARD-201 and the low dose of tirzepatide showed continued weight loss compared to high-dose tirzepatide.