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Regeneron Genetics Center Discovers GPR75 Gene Mutations that Protect Against Obesity
TARRYTOWN, N.Y., July 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Publication in Science reports that people with these protective mutations have 54% reduced risk of obesity
About this update from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"TARRYTOWN, N.Y., July 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --\nPublication in Science reports that people with these protective mutations have 54% reduced risk of obesity\nRegeneron used its VelociGene® technology to create mice with similar protective mutation that are resistant to obesity\nRegeneron already creating potential therapeutics to fight obesity using its VelocImmune® technology and collaborator Alnylam's siRNA technology\nRegeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) today announced that scientists from the Regeneron Genetics Center® (RGC) have discovered rare genetic mutations in the GPR75 gene associated with protection against obesity. As reported in Science, almost 650,000 people were sequenced to find rare individuals with this genetic 'superpower,' providing new insights into the genetic basis of obesity. Potential therapeutics mimicking these genetic superpowers are being developed at Regeneron, utilizing its VelocImmune technologies and novel technologies from collaborators such as Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. \nIt is estimated that more than one billion people could be suffering from obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 or higher) by 2030.1,2 Working with research collaborators, RGC scientists found that individuals who have at least one inactive copy of the GPR75 gene have lower BMI and, on average, tend to weigh about 12 pounds less and face a 54% lower risk of obesity than those without the mutation. Protective 'loss of function' mutations were found in about one of every 3,000 people sequenced. \n\"Discovering protective genetic superpowers, such as in GPR75, provides hope in combating global health challenges as complex and prevalent as obesity,\" said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer at Regeneron. \"Discovery of protective mutations – many of which have been made by the Regeneron Genetics Center in its eight-year history – will allow us to unlock the full potential of genetic medicine by instructing on where to deploy cutting-edge approaches like gene-editing, gene-silencing and viral vector technologies.\" \nAs part of the research that led to the finding, RGC scientists analyzed deidentified genetic and associated health data from 645,000 volunteers from the United Kingdom, U.S. and Mexico. The study, one of the Regeneron Genetics Center's largest to date, was conducted i...