Versant-backed Pep2Tango taking four-way agonist to clinic for obesity

For its next investment in an obesity company, Versant is backing Pep2Tango, a start-up whose experienced founders believes a tetra-receptor approach can induce weight loss while sparing lean muscle mass and provide additional effects on lipids, glycemic control and liver health.

Pep2Tango Therapeutics Inc. emerged from stealth on Thursday with a preclinical program targeting four receptors: GLP-1, GIP, amylin and CALCR. Although several other companies have mixed and matched components among those, either in single molecules or combinations, Maryland-based Pep2Tango could be the first to reach the clinic with a unimolecular quadruple agonist; the biotech is planning to submit an IND in 2025...