Se™elanotide - Immunology - Antigens/Epitotes/Pools/Librairies

Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptides act on neurons expressing the Melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) to reduce body weight. Setmelanotide is a highly potent MC4R agonist that leads to weight loss in diet-induced obese animals and obese individuals with complete POMC deficiency. The endogenous ligand alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) for MC4R has been shown to have a much lower affinity than Setmelanotide, explaining some of the drug's potency. Administration of Setmelanotide to wildtype mice resulted in significant weight loss while MC4R knockout mice fail to respond. Setmelanotide is in numerous clinical trials and shows promising results. Patients with POMC defects upstream of MC4R show more significant responses to treatment than those with MC4R deficiency or obese controls.