THE KOREA ECONOMIC DAILY, GLOBAL EDITION

South Korean microbiome-based new drug development company Kobiolabs Co. announced on Wednesday that it has a patent for its obesity treatment strain Akkermansia muciniphila KBL983 in China.

KBL983 is derived from the human microbiome. Kobiolabs has discovered that it induces the expression of the key metabolic hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and increases the activity of brown fat, which is known to suppress obesity.

Kobiolabs has demonstrated the potential of KBL983 as an oral therapeutic agent for effectively controlling major metabolic diseases associated with obesity, including weight management difficulties, impaired glucose tolerance, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and fatty liver.

Previously, key research findings on KBL983 were published in Nature Microbiology,  a premier international journal showcasing cutting-edge research in all areas of microbiology.

Kobiolabs is currently developing an obesity treatment using a combination of strains, including KBL983, under the National New Drug Development Project.

Write to In-Hyuk Park at hyuk@hankyung.com