CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. and SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Nov. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rivus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to treating obesity and associated cardiometabolic diseases, today announced that a poster of the first data from the company’s preclinical pipeline of oral Controlled Metabolic Accelerators (CMAs) will be presented at ObesityWeek® organized by The Obesity Society (TOS) being held November 4-7, 2025 in Atlanta, GA.
“Obesity is a chronic disease for which chronic treatment options are urgently needed to achieve sustained weight loss and address this unprecedented epidemic. We are incredibly encouraged by these preclinical data, which demonstrate our CMA’s potential to not only achieve greater weight loss, but also to do so while preserving lean muscle mass,” said Shaharyar Khan, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Rivus Pharmaceuticals. “In addition, this preclinical study showed that combining our oral CMA with GLP-1s may offer an improved profile to enable chronic use. These findings represent an important proof-of-concept for our preclinical CMA pipeline as we work to advance a new class of oral medicines targeting obesity and the associated cardiometabolic diseases.”
In preclinical studies, Rivus evaluated RV201 (ANT activator, investigational oral small molecule) as a single agent and in combination with semaglutide. Data demonstrated RV201 drives fat-selective, muscle-preserving weight loss after 8 days in a preclinical model of obesity:
- Weight loss: Greater weight loss for RV201 treatment groups
- -16% for RV201 monotherapy
- -15% (high dose) and -2% (low dose) for semaglutide monotherapy
- -25% (high dose) and -22% (low dose) for semaglutide with RV201 combination therapy
- After treatment stopped, weight loss was stable for 6 days for both RV201 treatment groups
- Fat loss: Greater fat loss for RV201 treatment groups
- -46% for RV201 monotherapy
- -24% (high dose) and -7% (low dose) for semaglutide monotherapy
- -63% (high dose) and -57% (low dose) for semaglutide with RV201 combination therapy
- Lean muscle mass: Preserved for RV201 treatment groups
- Energy expenditure: Increased for RV201 treatment groups
- RV201 monotherapy and in combination with semaglutide resulted in increased energy expenditure without increasing body temperature
- Semaglutide monotherapy significantly reduced energy expenditure and food intake
Presentation details are as follows:
Abstract Title: Oral Controlled Metabolic Accelerator Drives Fat-Specific Weight Loss and Augments GLP-1 Effect
Abstract Number: 121
Format: Poster Presentation
Presenter: Sol Collado, Ph.D., Senior Director, Drug Discovery, Rivus Pharmaceuticals
Presentation Date and Time: Tuesday, November 4, 2025, 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. ET
A copy of the ObesityWeek preclinical data poster will be accessible at the start of the poster session under “Clinical Data and Scientific Publications” in Our Science section of Rivus’ website.
About Controlled Metabolic Accelerators (CMAs)
Rivus is advancing a new class of oral medicines called Controlled Metabolic Accelerators (CMAs) for obesity and associated cardiometabolic diseases. Rivus’ CMAs are designed to induce sustained, fat-selective, muscle-preserving weight loss. These oral small molecule therapeutics are engineered to safely increase resting metabolic rate and result in increased energy expenditure primarily from fat. Leveraging the natural metabolic process of mitochondrial uncoupling, CMAs increase the resting metabolic rate in a manner that is precision-controlled, in clinical trials to date, and imperceptible to the patient. Rivus’ lead CMA HU6 is in Phase 2 clinical development and its pipeline of CMAs in preclinical development includes the RV300 family (dual ANT-GLP-1 pharmacology).
About Rivus Pharmaceuticals
Rivus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing novel medicines for obesity and associated cardiometabolic diseases. A leader in mitochondrial biology, Rivus is developing a new class of investigational therapies called Controlled Metabolic Accelerators (CMAs), which are oral small molecules designed for sustained, fat-selective, muscle-preserving weight loss. Rivus’ lead candidate HU6 (ANT activator) has demonstrated positive results in three Phase 2 clinical trials across MASH (metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis), MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease) and HFpEF (heart failure with preserved ejection fraction). In addition to HU6, Rivus is developing a pipeline of preclinical CMAs. Follow Rivus on LinkedIn and X and visit www.rivuspharma.com.
Company Contact:
Amy Figueroa, CFA
Rivus Pharmaceuticals
afigueroa@rivuspharma.com
Media Contact:
Meredith Mallen
Real Chemistry
mmallen@realchemistry.com
