Obesity and the health problems associated with overweight are epidemic in developed countries. The increase in fat accumulated in adipose tissue causes insulin resistance and the onset of diabetes. To combat obesity, drugs capable of stimulating the release of fat from adipose tissue and accelerating its combustion in muscle are needed. Recently, scientists from the research center Applied Medicine (CIMA) and the School of Pharmacy of the University of Navarra have discovered that cardiotrophin-1, a protein produced by adipose tissue, muscle and liver, has these characteristics and could therefore constitute a novel treatment for obesity and diabetes. The study has been published in the latest issue of the prestigious journal Cell Metabolism.

The group researchers at CIMA observed that animals lacking cardiotrophin-1 showed a significant decrease in energy expense and, over time, became obese and diabetic. The researchers also found that injecting this protein into obese mice caused an increase in the combustion of fat stored in adipose tissue and a decrease in body weight, as result of the decrease in fat deposits. In addition, they were able to see that administration of cardiotrophin-1 enhances the action of insulin, which facilitates the entrance of glucose into cells and lowers blood glucose. "These findings help to understand the mechanisms of obesity and diabetes and open up new ways to approach their treatment," explains Dr. Jesús Prieto, researcher of CIMA and consultant of the Clínica Universidad de Navarraand coordinator of work together with Matilde Bustos and María Jesús Moreno-Aliaga, researchers at CIMA and School of Pharmacy, respectively.

"Cardiotrophin-1 significantly decreases the body's fat deposits," says Dr. Moreno-Aliaga. On the other hand, the study has shown that pharmacological doses of cardiotrophin-1 produce a decrease in appetite, thus favoring the control of bulimia and weight loss. "However, the weight loss is not only due to a decrease in food intake but also to the effect of cardiotrophin-1 on energy consumption, which is highly stimulated by this protein," says Dr. Bustos.

The clinical development of CT-1 is carried out through Digna Biotech, a biotechnology company that receives the licence of the products investigated at the CIMA of the University of Navarra. According to Pablo Ortiz, director general manager of Digna Biotech, "cardiotrophin-1 is a very interesting molecule that we are developing for several indications. We currently have authorization from the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Health Products to start the essay Phase I in healthy volunteers and the first dose will be administered next November. Phase II is scheduled for the second half of 2012. We are confident that these new applications and their clinical development will allow us to forge alliances with other biopharmaceutical companies in order to fill in the clinical and commercial development of the molecule".

About CIMA

The research center Applied Medicine (CIMA) of the University of Navarra transfers the basic research to the clinical application by means of a scientific work oriented to the search for therapeutic solutions for diseases that cause suffering and for which there is no effective treatment. 

About Digna Biotech

Digna Biotech is a biotechnology company focused on the development of new drugs derived from the research carried out at CIMA (University of Navarra). Digna Biotech has an extensive range of products for different diseases in the fields of Hepatology, Gene Therapy, Oncology and Cardiovascular. Three products are already in clinical phase and one new product is expected to reach clinical phase every year.www.dignabiotech.com.