Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. believes it is the first to show preclinical efficacy with a novel obesity target - mitochondrial dicarboxylate carrier (mDIC). Although there are still some questions as to exactly how it elicits its effects, the peripherally active treatment showed significant reductions in fat mass and overall body weight, as well as increased metabolism compared with controls.

At the recent American Diabetes Association meeting, ISIS reported an mDIC-specific antisense oligonucleotide reduced mDIC mRNA levels by 80-95% throughout the liver and adipose tissue, producing significant reductions in body weight and fat in a mouse model of obesity.