Weight loss drugs set off another wave in the competition! American venture capital bet on Danish newcomer Ousia Pharma.

American venture capital firm Omega Funds is betting on Danish biotechnology start-up Ousia Pharma, believing it has the potential to develop a new obesity therapy. The Boston-based investment firm Omega Funds announced on Tuesday that it has made a "significant" investment in Ousia Pharma, but did not disclose the specific amount. Omega Funds stated that the company's research has the potential to address some of the limitations of existing weight loss drugs. Ousia received this funding after completing an accelerator program supported by Novo Holdings, a major shareholder of Novo Nordisk. Currently, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly dominate the weight loss drug market, with their popular injectable drugs generating billions in sales, but many experienced pharmaceutical companies are competing to introduce rival products. Ousia was founded by scientists from Aarhus University in 2022. CEO and co-founder Anders Bjerre Klin stated in an interview that they are focused on adding NMDA receptor antagonists to existing weight loss therapies. These drugs, including the controversial ketamine, are attracting renewed attention in the field of treatment. The active ingredient in best-selling drugs like Novo Nordisk's Wegovy mimics a gut hormone called GLP-1, which is produced by the body immediately after eating. Klin explained that Ousia's compounds can enhance the appetite-regulating effects of GLP-1, meaning the same weight loss effects could potentially be achieved with a lower dose, reducing side effects. The drug has not yet entered clinical trials, and the funding will support laboratory research and early clinical development over the next three years. "The obesity drug market is still relatively new, with only a few approved drugs based on the same mechanism of action," Klin said. "Existing drugs have many challenges. Therefore, what is really needed now is to explore alternative pathways and completely new mechanisms, there is definitely innovation space in this market."