Syntis Bio Launches Revolutionary Oral Therapy to Mimic Weight-Loss Surgery

1. Syntis Bio Emerges: Syntis Bio emerged from stealth on June 11, 2024, with a mission to develop oral therapies that mimic the effects of weight-loss surgery for obesity, diabetes, and rare diseases.
2. Lead Program SYNT-101: SYNT-101 is a once-daily pill designed to transiently block nutrient absorption in the duodenum, mimicking the effects of gastric bypass surgery. It is currently in human trials to establish safety, tolerability, and efficacy.
3. Mechanism of Action: SYNT-101 diverts nutrients to the lower small intestine, where absorption is more controlled, stimulating satiety hormones like GLP-1 and PYY. This mechanism is known as duodenal nutrient exclusion.
4. Pipeline Expansion: Syntis Bio has acquired a portfolio of engineered enzymes from Codexis, targeting rare pediatric diseases such as homocystinuria and maple syrup urine disease.
5. Funding: The company has raised a $15.5 million seed round from leading life sciences and strategic investors to support its pipeline development.
6. Founders: Syntis Bio was co-founded by industry veteran Rahul Dhanda and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) visionaries Robert Langer and Giovanni Traverso.