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SAN JOSE, Calif. - Rani Therapeutics Holdings , Inc. (NASDAQ:RANI), a clinical-stage biotherapeutics company with a market capitalization of $48.3 million, today announced promising results from a preclinical study on the oral delivery of semaglutide for obesity treatment using their RaniPill® HC technology. According to InvestingPro data, the company reported an EBITDA of -$50.8 million in the last twelve months, reflecting its intensive research and development phase. The study showed that oral semaglutide, a medication traditionally administered by injection, achieved comparable bioavailability and pharmacokinetics to its subcutaneous counterpart, along with similar weight loss outcomes in canines.
The nonclinical study, designed as a 2x2 crossover with eight canines, compared the effects of the oral administration of semaglutide via the RaniPill® HC to subcutaneous injection. The results demonstrated that the oral version of the drug was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported. Additionally, the relative bioavailability of the oral formulation was found to be 107% compared to the injected form.
According to Talat Imran, CEO of Rani Therapeutics, these findings validate the potential of the RaniPill® platform to deliver a variety of injectable obesity treatments orally. The company anticipates that the convenience of once-weekly oral dosing could improve patient adherence to the medication. While the stock has experienced a significant decline of about 63% over the past year, analysts maintain an optimistic outlook, with price targets ranging from $8 to $17 per share. InvestingPro subscribers can access 7 additional key insights about RANI’s financial health and market position.
Jesper Høiland, Senior Strategic Advisor for Rani Therapeutics and former executive at Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO), highlighted the transformative potential of an oral semaglutide treatment delivered through the RaniPill® HC. Currently, Novo Nordisk markets semaglutide as WEGOVY® for obesity treatment with sales reaching approximately $3.1 billion in the first half of 2024. There are no approved oral GLP-1 agonists for obesity on the market, making Rani’s development a significant innovation.
Rani Therapeutics also announced its anticipation for a Phase 1 clinical trial in 2025 for RT-114, an oral GLP-1/GLP-2 dual agonist for obesity treatment, developed in partnership with ProGen.
Rani Therapeutics specializes in advancing technologies for the oral administration of biologics and drugs, with the RaniPill® capsule designed to replace injections with oral dosing. The company has conducted multiple preclinical and clinical studies to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and bioavailability of their technology. Investors anticipating the company’s next earnings report can mark their calendars for March 19, 2025. For comprehensive financial analysis and real-time updates, consider subscribing to InvestingPro, which offers detailed metrics and expert insights for informed investment decisions.
The information in this article is based on a press release statement from Rani Therapeutics.
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