WALTHAM, Mass., July 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Interleukin Genetics, Inc. announced today a program to use its perilipin genetic technology, in-licensed from Tufts University, to develop a genetic test to guide medically-supervised weight loss in obese individuals.
Variations in the perilipin gene that are involved in regulation of fat metabolism are found commonly in the population. The perilipin genetic variations have been associated with different rates of fat metabolism, differences in body weight, and differences in weight loss on calorie restricted diets. Interleukin has initiated a program to develop a proprietary genetic test that will assist physicians and medically-supervised weight loss clinics in guiding obese patients to more effective weight loss.
“Weight loss involves very complex biological mechanisms, and multiple factors influence an individual’s body weight,” said Dr. Jose Ordovas, PhD, Director of the Nutrition and Genomics Laboratory at Tufts University. “In spite of that complexity, our research has shown that perilipin genetic variations predict significant and substantial differences in body weight and weight loss.” Some of the work on perilipin genetics in Dr. Ordovas’ laboratory has been funded by Interleukin Genetics through a sponsored research agreement with Tufts University.
“Interleukin is committed to be a leader in the use of genetics to help individuals lead healthier, longer lives,” said Ken Kornman, Chief Scientific Officer. “We have focused on genetic variations that are in high prevalence in the population, are proprietary, and have a major impact on important health issues. Dr. Ordovas and his collaborators have already shown that the amount of weight lost by obese individuals on calorie restricted diets is dependent on their perilipin genetic pattern. Our current program will evaluate how we can enhance an individual’s weight loss depending on their perilipin genetic pattern. We expect to develop and market tests and weight loss solutions through medical channels and will seek distribution partners in those channels.”
Interleukin Genetics is also developing genetic test panels based on different technology for non-medical channels to assist healthy individuals to optimize their weight management strategies. These non-medical tests will be marketed globally through Alticor, Interleukin’s strategic partner.
About Perilipin Genetic Variations
Obesity is basically an excessive storage of triglycerides in fat (adipose) tissue. Although the biological mechanisms involved in storage and release of triglycerides in adipose tissue are poorly understood, a family of proteins, including the perilipin protein, regulate triglyceride release under certain conditions. If the perilipin protein is eliminated in mice, i.e. the “knockout model,” the mice have altered fat metabolism, a lean body type, and are resistant to weight gain even in the presence of over-feeding a high-fat diet. Hundreds of genes have been associated with various metabolic pathways that influence body weight, but very few genes have been shown to alter weight loss when people go on specific diets. Genetic studies of diabetes, hyper- triglycerides, and obesity have identified a suspected risk factor for each of these conditions in the perilipin gene location on chromosome 15. Fat biopsies of obese women showed that those with one pattern of perilipin genetic variations had a two to four fold higher rate of fat metabolism than those with the other perilipin genetic pattern. In addition, studies in thousands of individuals found the perilipin genetic variations to be associated with significant differences in body mass index (BMI) and risk for obesity. The importance of the perilipin genetics on body weight and obesity risk has been confirmed in multiple ethnic populations, although the risk patterns appear to be different in some populations. The effects of the perilipin genetic variations in some studies were stronger in females than in males. In a study of obese patients on a calorie restricted diet, those with one perilipin genetic pattern were resistant to weight loss over a 12 month period. In a study of Koreans who were obese and placed on a calorie restricted diet, individuals with one pattern of perilipin genetic variations had greater weight loss and the loss was primarily in the visceral fat compartment--i.e. the waist area. A review of the role of perilipin and perilipin genetics in body weight was recently published (Tai & Ordovas, “The role of perilipin in human obesity and insulin resistance,” Current Opinion in Lipidology 2007; volume 18, pages 152-156).
Obesity and Weight Management
The modern urban lifestyle with an abundance of food has produced a rapid increase in obesity. One in three Americans is now classified as obese, and 127 million U.S. individuals are overweight. There is an especially troubling increase in the prevalence of obesity in children. Obesity is associated with several chronic diseases, including hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Although the increase in obesity is primarily the result of environmental changes, there are substantial genetic differences in how individuals react to certain dietary factors. Studies indicate that 20-70% of the weight differences among people are due to genetics, and more than 60% of the weight gain during middle age is attributable to genetic factors. Most importantly, the amount of weight gain that results from over-eating has a major genetic component.
About Interleukin
Interleukin Genetics, Inc. is a genetics-focused personalized health company that develops preventive consumer products and genetic tests for sale to the emerging personalized health market. Focused on the future of health and medicine, Interleukin uses its leading genetics research and scientific capabilities to develop and test innovative preventive and therapeutic products. Interleukin currently offers an array of Nutraceuticals and OTCeuticals, including Ginkoba(R), Ginsana(R) and Venastat(R) which are sold at the nation’s largest food, drug and mass retailers, and has commercialized genetic tests for periodontal disease risk assessment, cardiovascular risk assessment, and general nutrition assessment. Interleukin is headquartered in Waltham, MA. For more information about Interleukin and its ongoing programs, please visit www.ilgenetics.com.
Certain statements contained herein are “forward-looking” statements including statements regarding our ability to develop genetic tests based upon our perilipin genetic technology , develop diagnostic, personalized nutritional and therapeutic products to prevent or treat diseases of inflammation and other genetic variations, our ability to screen nutritional compounds for their effects on inflammatory responses and other genetic variations, given specific genetic patterns and our ability to make progress in advancing our core technologies. Because such statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward- looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risk of market acceptance of our products, the risk of technology and product obsolescence, delays in product development, our ability to identify appropriate commercial partners and enter into favorable arrangements with them, the performance of our commercial partners, the availability of adequate capital, the actions of our competitors and other competitive risks, and those risks and uncertainties described in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, as amended, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other filings made by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We disclaim any obligation or intention to update these forward-looking statements.
Interleukin Genetics
CONTACT: Paul Voegelin for Interleukin Genetics, +1-781-398-0700;Additional Contacts for Media - Investors: J.J. Rissi, +1-212-445-8224, ofWeber Shandwick, or Rich Tauberman, +1-201-964-2408, of Financial RelationsBoard
Web site: http://www.ilgenetics.com/