| Key Points: – Stock Surge: Bio-Path Holdings’ stock rose 30% after announcing BP1001-A, its new obesity treatment program, with trading volume significantly higher than average. – New Focus: The company plans preclinical studies for BP1001-A by Q4 2024, marking its first use of DNAbilize technology for non-cancer applications. – Market Opportunity: A September report projects the obesity treatment market could reach $200 billion by 2031, with up to 16 new drugs expected by 2029, presenting a lucrative opportunity for Bio-Path. |
Shares of Bio-Path Holdings (NASDAQ: BPTH) surged by 30% as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, driven by significantly increased trading volume of 57 million shares, far exceeding its average volume of 329,000. The rally follows the company’s announcement of a new therapeutic program aimed at addressing obesity and related metabolic diseases using its DNAbilize® technology. This marks the company’s first foray into non-cancer applications, potentially opening the door to a new growth avenue for the biotech firm.
Bio-Path initiated the development of BP1001-A, targeting insulin sensitivity to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes, with plans to begin preclinical studies as soon as the fourth quarter of 2024. In a statement, Bio-Path’s President and CEO, Peter Nielsen, expressed enthusiasm about the expansion into obesity treatments, citing the growing epidemic as a critical health issue. “Developing BP1001-A for the treatment of obesity should have a high probability of success as its mechanism of action has the potential to treat insulin resistance, which is the underpinning of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and other related diseases,” Nielsen said.
The company’s announcement also coincided with the completion of patient enrollment in the third dosing cohort of its ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial for BP1002, a treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
In a September report from analysts at Morningstar and Pitchbook, the obesity treatment market was forecast to see as many as 16 new drugs by 2029, vying for a slice of this lucrative and rapidly expanding market, currently dominated by industry giants Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. The same report projected that the global market for obesity treatments could balloon to $200 billion by 2031, highlighting the significant commercial potential in addressing obesity and related metabolic diseases.
Bio-Path Holdings is primarily known for its DNAbilize® technology, which uses RNAi nanoparticle drugs that can be administered via simple intravenous infusion. The company’s lead product candidate, prexigebersen (BP1001), is currently in a Phase 2 trial for blood cancers, while BP1001-A is being studied for solid tumors in a Phase 1 trial.
As Bio-Path explores the obesity space, this expansion could represent a major opportunity for growth, particularly as the market for obesity treatments continues to evolve at a rapid pace.