1. OBETAT BioPharma (30 December 2012, Seoul, Korea) obtained the exclusive right to develop and commercialize new class of anti-obesity peptide TatdMt and related technologies globally from Younsei University (Seoul, Korea).
Since early 2000, Prof. Man-Wook Hur, PhD (Medical School of Yonsei University, Seoul Korea) initiated extensive researches and experiments with Tat protein, a small protein encoded by HIV that is essential for viral replication (“Tat” stands for Trans-Activator of Transcription).
Dr. Hur’s research have convincingly shown that the small Tat protein alone can induce a dramatic weight loss in animal models, mimicking the wasting syndrome observed in untreated AIDS victims. Moreover, his work has also discovered a novel peptide TatdMt, a mutant fusion protein of Tat, that retained the weight-loss activity but lacking the trans-activator activity that supports viral replication of Tat peptide.
They have conducted a comprehensive preclinical profiling program with TatdMt including efficacy and safety in animal models, mechanistic and PK studies as well as formulation and stability testing. TatdMt has a very clean preclinical safety profile. The preclinical studies titled “Pre-clinical study of potent anti-obesity polypeptide” was selected and funded by the Korea Ministry of Knowledge and Economics as a national strategic growth initiative project.
Obetat Biopharma 