Endevica Bio has launched Kalohexis, a new biotechnology company developing melanocortin receptor–targeting therapies for metabolic disorders, including obesity and cancer cachexia.
Written By: Samiksha Jadhav, BPharm
Reviewed By: Pharmacally Editorial Team
Endevica Bio has announced the spinout and launch of Kalohexis, a newly formed biotechnology company focused on developing therapies targeting the melanocortin (MC) system for metabolic disorders, including obesity and cancer cachexia. The new company will be led by Endevica Bio’s existing leadership team and will advance a portfolio of synthetic peptidomimetic drug candidates designed to modulate melanocortin receptors.
The melanocortin system acts as a central regulator of metabolic homeostasis, integrating signals related to hunger, nutrient availability, and energy stores through melanocortin-3 and melanocortin-4 receptors (MC3R and MC4R). By targeting these receptors, Kalohexis aims to reset the body’s metabolic “set-point,” enabling more durable control of body weight and energy balance.
“Kalohexis is built on more than a decade of expertise in melanocortin biology,” said Russell Potterfield, Chief Executive Officer of Kalohexis. He noted that the company intends to harness the therapeutic potential of the MC system across multiple metabolic indications, starting with obesity and cancer cachexia.
Kalohexis’ pipeline includes 710GO, an oral dual MC3R/MC4R agonist designed to activate the melanocortin pathway and induce sustained weight loss by altering metabolic regulation rather than simply suppressing appetite. The company plans to initiate a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 1 clinical trial of 710GO in healthy overweight and obese volunteers in the first half of 2026.
Preclinical studies in obese non-human primates showed that 13 weeks of treatment with 710GO resulted in an average 11.7% reduction in body weight compared with controls. When combined with the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide, the therapy demonstrated greater weight reduction than semaglutide alone in early animal studies. 710GO did not show common GLP-1–associated side effects in these studies, including significant lean muscle loss, gastrointestinal distress, or rapid weight regain after treatment cessation.
The company is also advancing mifomelatide, a dual MC3R/MC4R antagonist being developed to prevent and treat cancer cachexia, a severe wasting syndrome that can impair patients’ ability to tolerate chemotherapy and negatively affect survival. A Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating mifomelatide in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (NCT06937177) was initiated in the second quarter of 2025 and is currently ongoing. Earlier Phase 1 studies in healthy volunteers showed the drug was well tolerated and associated with modest increases in appetite and body weight.
Beyond these programs, Kalohexis is exploring additional melanocortin-targeting therapies for several metabolic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, sarcopenia, and polycystic ovary syndrome.
Reference
Endevica Announces Spinout of Kalohexis to Advance First- and Best-in-Class Therapeutics Harnessing the Melanocortin System to Treat Obesity and Metabolic Diseases, 19 March 2026, Endevica Announces Spinout of Kalohexis to Advance First- and Best-in-Class Therapeutics Harnessing the Melanocortin System to Treat Obesity and Metabolic Diseases – Endevica Bio
About the Writer
Samiksha Vikram Jadhav is a B.Pharm graduate with a strong academic foundation in pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacology, and drug development. She has a keen interest in healthcare advancements, clinical research, medical writing, and emerging therapies. Her work focuses on presenting developments in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors through clear and accurate scientific communication.