Alveus Therapeutics

With headquarters in Philadelphia, PA, and research and development operations in Copenhagen, Denmark, Alveus aims to address the limitations of current obesity treatments, such as tolerability issues, infrequent dosing, and long-term weight maintenance. The company's strategy combines human genetic data with deep biological and clinical expertise to create therapies that offer sustained efficacy and a reduced treatment burden. The leadership team includes seasoned executives from major pharmaceutical companies. CEO Raj Kannan was formerly the CEO of I-Mab and Aerie Pharmaceuticals. The Chief Scientific Officer and Head of R&D, Jacob Jeppesen, previously served as the Therapeutic Area Head for Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Research at Novo Nordisk.

The company's lead candidate, ALV-100, is a bifunctional fusion protein that acts as a GIPR antagonist and a GLP-1R agonist, a mechanism similar to Amgen's drug, MariTide. This dual-action approach is designed to provide potent and durable weight loss while improving the quality of that loss by preserving lean body mass. Proceeds from the Series A financing are designated to support the Phase 2 clinical development of ALV-100. Beyond its lead asset, Alveus is developing a portfolio built around selective amylin biology, which includes peptides and oral small molecules. Its second program, ALV-200, is a highly selective AMYR3 peptide agonist entering the IND-enabling stage, designed to promote satiety and preserve lean mass. The company is also exploring oral small molecules and other formats to target metabolic diseases.