Phenomix Sciences, a biotech focusing on obesity phenotyping and biomarker testing, will partner with genetic testing and counseling provider InformedDNA to provide targeted obesity treatment based on underlying biology.
Obesity is a very heterogeneous condition that can manifest for many different reasons. The approval of Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 agonist Wegovy (semaglutide) for weight loss in 2021 and Eli Lilly’s combined GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) agonist Zepbound (tirzepatide) in 2022 has added new and effective options to the market for those affected.
But these drugs do not work for everyone, and more effective use of biomarkers and health data can match the right drug to the right person quickly and avoid the wasted time and costs of using a treatment that is unlikely to be effective.
Phenomix have categorized most cases of obesity into four possible types: hungry brain, which involves consuming too many calories without feeling full; hungry gut, where people feel hungry again shortly after eating; emotional hunger, when food consumption triggers a dopamine reward; and slow burn, when people have a slow metabolism and do not burn calories they consume effectively.
The company was co-founded by Andres Acosta, an associate professor and consultant in the department of gastroenterology and hepatology at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Phenomix is developing tests initiated by Acosta and colleagues to allow phenotyping of obesity to predict the best drug for each patient. So far, there is evidence to show that using a test like the one developed by Phenomix can double the effectiveness of obesity medications.
InformedDNA provides genetic and genomic testing, as well as genetic counseling services and was a pioneer in providing telegenetic remote counseling services to patients around the U.S. The company works with payers, health systems, employers, and life sciences organizations and has a big network around the country.
As part of the new collaboration, Phenomix’s saliva-based MyPhenome genetic obesity test will be paired with Informed DNA’s DNAimpact precision health platform to help roll out precision obesity treatment on a wider scale around the U.S. For example, DNAimpact counselors will be able to explain the results of the Phenomix tests to consumers so they can start the best possible treatment for their condition.
“We are excited to collaborate with InformedDNA, a trusted genomics company that has been working with health plans on the appropriate use of genetic testing for over a decade,” said Mark Bagnall, CEO of Phenomix Sciences, in a press statement.
“By integrating our MyPhenome genetic test with their DNAimpact precision health platform, we’re expanding access to expert decision support for patients and their clinicians throughout the U.S. This partnership represents a critical step forward in addressing the complexities of metabolic syndrome and obesity, improving patient outcomes, and making personalized healthcare more accessible to those who need it most.”
