Subcutaneous delivery of FGF21 mRNA therapy reverses obesity, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis in diet-induced obese mice

• Published in: Molecular therapy. Nucleic acids Vol. 28; pp. 500 - 513
• Main Authors: Bartesaghi, Stefano, Wallenius, Kristina, Hovdal, Daniel, Liljeblad, Mathias, Wallin, Simonetta, Dekker, Niek, Barlind, Louise, Davies, Nigel, Seeliger, Frank, Winzell, Maria Sörhede, Patel, Sima, Theisen, Matt, Brito, Luis, Bergenhem, Nils, Andersson, Shalini, Peng, Xiao-Rong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 14-06-2022; American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy; Elsevier
• Subjects: DIO mice; FGF21; insulin resistance; LNP; mRNA therapy; MT: Oligonucleotides: Therapies and Applications; Original; steatosis; MT: Oligonucleotides: Therapies and Applications; mRNA therapy; insulin resistance; steatosis; LNP; FGF21; DIO mice
• ISSN: 2162-2531; 2162-2531
• DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.04.010

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a promising therapeutic agent for treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We show that therapeutic levels of FGF21 were achieved following subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of mRNA encoding human FGF21 proteins. The efficacy of mRNA was assessed following 2-weeks repeated s.c. dosing in diet-induced obese (DIO), mice which resulted in marked decreases in body weight, plasma insulin levels, and hepatic steatosis. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modelling of several studies in both lean and DIO mice showed that mRNA encoding human proteins provided improved therapeutic coverage over recombinant dosed proteins in vivo. This study is the first example of s.c. mRNA therapy showing pre-clinical efficacy in a disease-relevant model, thus, showing the potential for this modality in the treatment of chronic diseases, including T2D and NASH.
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Synthetic mRNA encoding FGF21 encapsulated in LNP effectively transcribes to a functional protein in human adipocytes. In addition, repeated s.c. administration of FGF21 mRNA to DIO, insulin-resistant/steatotic mice leads to disease reversal.