Magdalena Biosciences, a Joint Venture Between Jaguar Health and Filament Health, Announces Positive Results of Preclinical Study of Coca for Weight Gain Prevention

About this update from Jaguar Health, Inc.

Whole leaf coca extract under evaluation is Magdalena's drug candidate for post-GLP-1 weight loss management SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / June 18, 2026 / Jaguar Health, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAGX) ("Jaguar") today announced that the results of a preclinical study initiated by Magdalena Biosciences ("Magdalena"), a US-based joint venture formed by Jaguar and Canada-based Filament Health Corp. ("Filament"), demonstrate that a novel extract derived from leaves of the coca plant prevented weight gain in mice submitted to a high fat diet without reducing food intake or increasing physical activity. The coca leaf extract under evaluation is Magdalena's prescription drug candidate for post-GLP-1 weight loss management, intended for development under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Botanical Guidance. It is common for people to regain weight after stopping GLP-1 medications because these drugs help reduce appetite and increase feelings of fullness while they are being taken. When treatment is discontinued, these effects diminish, and the body's mechanisms that regulate hunger and body weight may promote weight gain. "We're very pleased with the results of this 20-day preclinical study, which was conducted at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada," said Steven King, PhD, Jaguar's Chief Sustainable Supply and Ethnobotanical Research Officer and a founding Advisor to Magdalena. "The study results support our thesis that the coca leaf extract under evaluation may have the potential to serve as a weight maintenance therapy following cessation of GLP-1 therapy. The rebound effect observed after discontinuation of GLP-1 therapies, characterized by weight gain, highlights a significant unmet need for safe, long-term weight management solutions. A coca extract-based prescription drug developed under the FDA's Botanical Guidance, which is likely to have a low abuse potential, would logically fit into this therapeutic niche." Indigenous peoples and healers in the Andean region of Peru have utilized coca for centuries to manage hunger and fatigue. The coca leaf that is part of this Magdalena research and development program was provided to Magdalena by Empresa Nacional de La Coca (ENACO), a Peruvian state company dedicated to the commercialization of the coca leaf and derivatives, wi...

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