Data featured in oral presentation at ENDO 2026 show that dual MC3R/MC4R activation drives weight loss, limits rebound, and preserves lean mass in obese nonhuman primates
710GO, Kalohexis’ novel oral dual MC3R/MC4R agonist, is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical trial as a treatment for general obesity
NORTHBROOK, Ill., June 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kalohexis Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company harnessing the melanocortin system to shape the next era of metabolic disease care starting with obesity and cancer cachexia, announced that data supporting dual melanocortin-3 receptor/melanocortin-4 receptor (MC3R/MC4R) activation as a novel mechanism to drive healthier, more durable weight loss is being featured in an oral presentation today at the Endocrine Society’s Annual Meeting (ENDO 2026) in Chicago, IL. The presenting author, Jillian L. Seiler, Ph.D., Lead Scientist at Endevica Bio, which spun out Kalohexis in March 2026, was also selected for the Rising Stars Power Talks, a research communication competition at ENDO 2026 designed for early career and in-training members with top-scoring abstracts.
The oral presentation highlights an orally available dual MC3R/MC4R agonist that reduced caloric intake and induced significant weight loss in nonhuman primates with diet-induced obesity. Chronic oral dosing achieved 11.8% weight loss versus vehicle over 15 weeks and was followed by limited weight rebound after treatment cessation, with preferential fat mass loss and relative sparing of lean mass. Given historical concerns around cardiovascular liability with melanocortin agonists, telemetry monitoring showed no changes in heart rate, blood pressure, or QTc over 24 hours at doses up to 60 mg/kg PO. Together, these data support dual MC3R/MC4R activation as a strategy to enable meaningful weight loss with favorable weight-loss quality and limited rebound in obese primates, while addressing key limitations that have historically hindered selective MC4R agonist approaches.
“The data presented at ENDO 2026 provide important validation of our approach, describing how dual MC3R/MC4R activation, rather than selective MC4R agonism, drove meaningful weight loss and reduced food intake in nonhuman primates, without the cardiovascular safety risks and resulting efficacy limitations of MC4R-selective approaches,” said Dr. Daniel Marks, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of Kalohexis. “These findings highlight the significant potential of Kalohexis’ dual MC3R/MC4R agonist, 710GO, which we are currently evaluating in a Phase 1 clinical trial as a potentially healthier and more durable treatment for general obesity.”
Presentation details are as follows:
- Title: Dual MC3R/MC4R Activation Drives Weight Loss, Limits Rebound, and Preserves Lean Mass in Obese Nonhuman Primates
- Format: Oral Abstract/Rapid-Fire
- Session: Adipose Tissue, Appetite, and Obesity: Emerging and Established Pharmacotherapies
- Presenter: Jillian L. Seiler, PhD
- Presentation Date and Time: Monday, June 15, 2026, 2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. CT
- Title: Dual MC3R/MC4R Activation Drives Weight Loss, Limits Rebound, and Preserves Lean Mass in Obese Nonhuman Primates
- Format: Oral presentation
- Session: Rising Stars Power Talks
- Presenter: Jillian L. Seiler, PhD
- Session Date and Time: Saturday, June 13, 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. CT
About Kalohexis Inc.
Kalohexis, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company, spun out of Endevica Bio in March 2026, shaping the next era of metabolic disease care by harnessing the melanocortin system, the body’s natural regulator of metabolic homeostasis, to help people live healthier lives. Kalohexis’ therapeutic peptide candidates are designed to safely and effectively drug central melanocortin-3 and -4 receptors (MC3R/ MC4R) to treat many metabolic disorders. Kalohexis’ lead pipeline programs are 710GO, an oral dual MC3R/MC4R agonist to induce healthier, more durable weight loss in general obesity, and mifomelatide, a dual MC3R/MC4R antagonist to treat cachexia in patients with advanced cancers. For more information, visit www.kalohexis.com or follow us on LinkedIn and X.
Investor and Media Contact:
Argot Partners
kalohexis@argotpartners.com
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