Fauna Bio Archives - Medical Design Sourcing

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Could the genetic secrets of “extreme mammals” help unlock treatments for myriad human diseases? The Emeryville, California–based startup Fauna Bio is betting on that premise. One of the animals the firm is studying include the 13-lined ground squirrel, which can double its body weight in fat accumulation in summer before entering hibernation in an obese state. After entering hibernation for roughly half the year, the squirrels’ enter a state of extreme metabolic suppression where their metabolic rate dips to 1–3% of normal.

Fauna Bio has inked significant deals with pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, tapping its Convergence AI platform to identify potential obesity drug targets across 452 mammal species, including 65 other hibernators in addition to the 13-lined ground squirrel. The insights from the research could pave the way for new treatments for a…

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In late 2023, Eli Lilly, whose stock is now up close to 80% over the past year, inked a deal with the Emeryville, California–based Fauna Bio potentially worth $494 million that focuses on the discovery of novel drug targets for treating obesity. In 2020, Fauna entered into an obesity-focused collaboration with Novo Nordisk, Lilly’s primary rival in the obesity treatment market. Coincidentally, Novo Nordisk’s stock is up more than 50% over the past year, thanks in large part to strong sales of the GLP-1 drugs Ozempic and Wegovy.

In the hunt for the next obesity blockbuster, both Lilly and Novo Nordisk are turning to Fauna Bio’s expertise in extreme mammal genomics. Among Fauna Bio’s focus areas is the 13-lined ground squirrel, an example of the company’s emphasis on “extreme mammals.” The squirrels are known for their remarkable metabolic transformations during hibernation that make them…

Fauna Bio

Fauna Bio CEO on tapping extreme mammals for human disease breakthroughs

Could an ‘extreme’ hibernating ground squirrel unlock new obesity treatments?