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Xenon Genetics' Study Confirms the Importance of One of its Key Drug Targets In Obesity and Diabetes
Study Shows How SCD1 Deficiency Protects Against Body Fat Accumulation And Metabolic Syndrome in Mice
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- In a study published online this week by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison led by Dr. James Ntambi and Xenon Genetics Inc., demonstrated that a deficiency in the Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase-1 (SCD1) gene protects against the synthesis and storage of body fat in mice. The study showed that despite being fed a high fat diet, mice with a loss of SCD1 gene function demonstrated resistance to obesity, increased insulin sensitivity and increased metabolic rate. These are key components of Metabolic Syndrome in humans. ADVERTISEMENT
Metabolic Syndrome is a cluster of metabolic disorders including abnormal lipid levels, diabetes/insulin resistance and obesity. Each of these metabolic features are major risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease. In North America it is estimated that up to 40% of adults over 65 years have this syndrome. There are currently no effective therapies on the market that address this common metabolic disorder in a comprehensive manner. Furthermore, any drug developed for Metabolic Syndrome could have significant impact on the individual diseases that constitute this syndrome.
Xenon's previous research indicates that SCD1 is likely a good target to decrease triglyceride (a type of body fat) concentrations in humans. Said Dr. Michael Hayden, Xenon Genetics' Chief Scientific Officer, "This study strongly supports our earlier findings and brings to light important evidence that SCD1 also appears to be an important target for diabetes, insulin resistance and obesity. All our research indicates that SCD1 is central to the biochemical and physiological changes observed in Metabolic Syndrome. This data further validates in a profound way, the excitement we have regarding the progress of our Metabolic Syndrome drug development program."
Dr. Ntambi, a leading researcher in the area of lipid metabolism, discovered the SCD1 gene in 1988 and subsequently developed a mouse that is deficient in this gene. In the current study, Dr. Ntambi, who collaborated with Dr. Alan Attie of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Dr. Jeffrey Friedman of Rockefeller University, identified that SCD1 deficient mice show an increase in metabolic rate and a loss of weight and body fat, despite a high fat diet and increased food intake. According to Dr. Ntambi, "This study establishes that the enzyme SCD (produced by the SCD1 gene) plays a critical role in generation of body fat". The results of this study are consistent with another study recently published by Dr. Ntambi, Dr. Friedman and other scientific collaborators in the journal Science. This study suggested that the hormone leptin's anti-obesity mediating effects were linked to the regulation of SCD1.
Xenon's Metabolic Syndrome program, one of six the Company has in drug discovery, is advancing according to plan towards clinical development.
Journal References:
Loss of stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 function protects mice against
adiposity, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.,
www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.132384699, August 2002.
Role of Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase-1 in Leptin-Mediated Weight Loss,
Science, Volume 297, 240-243, July 12, 2002.
About Xenon Genetics Inc.
Xenon Genetics is a privately owned, |
