Wave Life Sciences' (WVE) RNA Obesity Drug WVE-007 Shows Potential to Match GLP-1 Efficacy Without Muscle Loss

Wave Life Sciences Ltd. (NASDAQ:WVE) is one of the low priced stocks to buy with high upside potential. On December 8, Wave Life Sciences announced positive interim results from its Phase 1 INLIGHT trial evaluating WVE-007, which is an investigational RNA medicine for obesity. The data from the 240 mg single-dose cohort revealed that the drug improved body composition over 3 months.

Unlike traditional GLP-1 therapies, which often cause muscle loss alongside fat reduction, WVE-007 achieved a 9.4% reduction in visceral fat and a 4.5% reduction in total body fat while simultaneously resulting in a 3.2% increase in lean mass (~4.0 lbs).

WVE-007 operates by silencing the INHBE gene using a proprietary SpiNA siRNA design. This approach is rooted in human genetics; individuals with natural loss-of-function variants in the INHBE gene typically possess lower visceral fat and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. By targeting Activin E, the protein product of INHBE, WVE-007 aims to treat the root causes of metabolic dysfunction.

The safety profile of the drug appears favorable, with no serious or severe treatment-emergent adverse events reported across doses up to 600 mg. All treatment-related side effects were characterized as mild, and there were no clinically meaningful changes in liver function tests or lipid profiles. Wave Life Sciences Ltd. (NASDAQ:WVE) is currently planning Phase 2 trials to evaluate WVE-007 as a monotherapy, as an add-on to incretins (like GLP-1s), and as a maintenance therapy to prevent weight regain after stopping other treatments.

Wave Life Sciences Ltd. (NASDAQ:WVE) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that designs, develops, and commercializes ribonucleic acid/RNA medicines through PRISM, which is a discovery and drug development platform.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.