MGC Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: ELAB) ("PMGC" or the "Company") today announced the initiation of a preclinical study for EL-32, an engineered probiotic candidate being developed by its wholly owned subsidiary, NorthStrive Biosciences Inc. ("NorthStrive Biosciences"). The study is designed to evaluate EL-32's potential to preserve lean muscle mass while promoting fat loss, both as a standalone therapy and in combination with GLP-1 weight loss treatments.
This announcement follows the Company's January 30, 2025 press release titled "NorthStrive Biosciences Inc., a Subsidiary of PMGC Holdings Inc., Signs Agreement for Preclinical Mouse Study of EL-32, a Potential Breakthrough Obesity Therapy Targeting Fat Loss and Muscle Preservation in Combination with GLP-1." Since that announcement, NorthStrive Biosciences has worked on locating material for the study, and study planning with the contract research organization ("CRO"), finalized the study design, and established the operational timeline and budget required to initiate the program.
The study will utilize a diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model, a widely used preclinical model for evaluating obesity and metabolic therapies. The research is expected to evaluate EL-32 across multiple treatment groups, including standalone administration and combination therapy with semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist widely used in weight loss therapies.