365mc, GC WellBeing partner on next-generation fat-dissolving injection and GLP-1 supplements

365mc, a medical institution specializing in obesity treatment and weight loss, has agreed to partner with GC WellBeing, an affiliate of GC Biopharma, to commercialize a next-generation fat-dissolving injectable.

After GC WellBeing secures regulatory approval and commercializes RZL-012 — a localized fat-reduction drug it has licensed from US pharmaceutical company Raziel Therapeutics — the two companies plan to draw on 365mc's 23 years of accumulated fat-treatment expertise to develop effective injection protocols, build a clinical evidence base and pursue joint marketing. The partners will also work to develop customized health functional foods designed to supplement protein that may become deficient during GLP-1 treatment.

The two companies announced Tuesday that they signed a memorandum of understanding for the "joint development of a localized fat-reduction drug and GLP-1-dedicated health functional foods" at the main auditorium of Seoul St. Mary's Hospital in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Sept. 30. The signing ceremony was attended by Kim Nam-chul, CEO of 365mc, and Kim Sang-hyun, CEO of GC WellBeing.

Dietary data from 365mc's meal-coaching app showed that customers receiving GLP-1 treatment tended to consume more high-fat foods while falling short on high-protein intake. Based on those findings, 365mc plans to analyze nutritional management strategies — including protein supplementation to prevent muscle loss — and provide the resulting data to support health functional food development. GC WellBeing will use the data to evaluate ingredients, formulations and dosage forms, leveraging its functional materials research capabilities, and will then pursue product commercialization and market supply.

"When we see customers using GLP-1 treatments in the clinic, many of them are concerned about stubborn fat in specific areas and muscle loss during the weight-loss process," said Kim Nam-chul, CEO of 365mc. "Through this partnership, we will work together to develop new research and products that can help reduce fat in areas difficult to address with GLP-1 treatment alone, and support muscle maintenance by supplementing protein and other nutrients."

"This partnership will serve as an opportunity to present differentiated value to the market by combining GC WellBeing's pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing capabilities with 365mc's unrivaled obesity clinical data," said Kim Sang-hyun, CEO of GC WellBeing. "We will maximize synergies between the two companies not only by achieving a successful market launch after the next-generation localized fat-dissolving injectable receives regulatory approval, but also by developing products and protocols that lead the GLP-1 post-care market."