Putting fat in its place

Since its discovery in 1995, VEGF-B has been overshadowed by its cousin, the proangiogenic VEGF-A, because the antiangiogenic effects of inactivating VEGF-B are modest. Now, a Swedish team has uncovered a critical biological function for VEGF-B: stimulating fatty acid transport through endothelial cells of the vasculature.¹

The findings open up VEGF-B as a target for metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and other indications caused by excess fatty acid accumulation. Indeed, the research has prompted CSL Ltd. to take a second look at its dormant VEGF-B mAb program and make a foray into the metabolic disease space...