Versanis, With $70m Series A, To Advance Abandoned Novartis Drug In Obesity

The failed muscle-adding antibody could offer a superior profile in obesity by reducing body fat composition while increasing lean mass, the firm believes.

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With $70m in series A cash, Versanis hopes to develop obesity drug to take on semaglutide

A host of former Novartis AG connections came together in a pair of transactions on 31 August, with start-up Versanis Bio preparing to take a stalled muscle-growth antibody into Phase II development as an obesity therapy that potentially could reduce body fat while increasing lean muscle mass.

Heading up Oakland-headquartered Versanis is Lloyd Klickstein, a long-time executive at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Inc. (NIBR)....

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