Research has shown remnant cholesterol is a significant factor in cardiovascular disease risk.
Seven months after launching, one of BioSpace’s NextGen Class of 2025 is already proving why they made the list. On Friday, Marea Therapeutics announced positive topline data from the Phase II study of its lead cardiometabolic candidate, a uniquely targeted monoclonal antibody.
Licensed from Novartis, MAR001 is a potential first-in-class antibody. While commonly used statins are effective at lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, MAR001 targets ANGPTL4, a protein highly expressed in fat tissue, with the aim of lowering remnant cholesterol. Recent research has shown that even when LDL cholesterol has been reduced to optimal levels, there is residual risk of cardiovascular disease, with remnant cholesterol a significant contributing factor to this risk.
Marea’s Phase IIa study enrolled patients with hypertriglyceridemia—too much fat in the blood. The latest results showed the 26 patients receiving a 300-mg or 450-mg dose of MAR001 saw their remnant cholesterol lowered by a placebo-corrected 50%, which Marea says predicts a “meaningful clinical benefit.”
Marea also reported the candidate was well tolerated with no serious adverse events. A Phase IIb study is expected to be initiated in the first half of 2025.
Launched in June 2024 with a $190 million combined series A and B, Marea made BioSpace’s list of NextGen: Class of 2025—the top life sciences startups to watch this year. With the metabolic space having its heyday with the massive success of GLP-1, there’s plenty of room to go as patients look to improve their heart health. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S.
In the same announcement, Marea shared its second pipeline candidate, an anti-growth hormone receptor antibody in development for acromegaly. Acromegaly is a rare, life-shortening disorder in which the body produces too much growth hormone, causing tissue and bones to grow more quickly. Much of the morbidity is caused by insulin resistance, lipotoxicity and cardiovascular events. A Phase I trial is slated for the second half of 2025.
