KoBioLabs, a Kosdaq-listed microbiome drug development company, said Tuesday that it has been granted a U.S. patent for KBL982 (roseburia intestinalis), a strain to treat obesity.

KoBioLabs said that KBL982 is believed to reduce liver fat accumulation while restoring the imbalance of the gut microbiome. Currently, KoBioLabs is developing a strain-based obesity treatment, and KBL982 is the core strain of the obesity treatment candidate.

Symbiotic bacteria that comprise the intestinal microbiome of normal humans perform close interactions with the human body, including the metabolism of nutrients and the regulation of immune responses.

KoBioLabs said it has found a close link between the imbalance of the gut microbiome and key metabolic diseases such as obesity and fatty liver, without elaborating details. 

Meanwhile, obesity treatments utilizing glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists may present a side effect known as the yo-yo effect, characterized by weight regain following discontinuation of the medication.

KoBioLabs said that a strain-based obesity treatment may regulate glycemia, promote GLP-1 secretion, and restore gut microbiota imbalance, resulting in a more fundamental obesity treatment effect.

In particular, KBL982 has fewer side effects than other treatments, and its oral formulation has advantages in terms of patient accessibility, the company said.

"Securing the U.S. rights to KBL982, an important strain for the treatment of obesity, is very encouraging," a KoBioLabs official said. "We will focus on acquiring global rights for the full-scale commercialization of KBL982 in the future."