Asprosin Neutralizing Antibodies as a Treatment for Metabolic Syndrome

Recently, we discovered a new glucogenic and centrally-acting orexigenic hormone – asprosin. Asprosin is elevated in metabolic syndrome (MS) patients, and importantly, its genetic loss results in reduced appetite, leanness and robust insulin sensitivity, leading to protection from MS. Here we demonstrate that anti-asprosin monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are a dual-effect pharmacologic therapy that targets the two key pillars of MS – over-nutrition and the blood glucose burden. Anti-asprosin mAbs from three distinct species lowered appetite and body weight, and improved blood glucose in a dose-dependent and epitope-agnostic fashion in three independent MS mouse models, with an IC₅₀of ∼1.5 mg/kg. In addition, mAb treatment ameliorated MS associated dyslipidemia and hepatic dysfunction. The mAbs displayed half-life of over 3 days in vivo, with equilibrium dissociation-constants in picomolar to low nanomolar range. This evidence paves the way for further development towards an investigational new drug application and subsequent human trials for treatment of MS, a defining physical ailment of our time.