Brown Fat

Ember is harnessing recent research breakthroughs in the emerging area of brown adipose tissue (BAT) biology to develop a new generation of safe and effective treatments for Type 2 diabetes and obesity. We are working on several lead preclinical programs focused on enhancing BAT functionality, with a goal of rapid advancement to clinical development. Our focus is on peripheral targets and mechanisms, thereby mitigating the potential risks and toxic side effects associated with therapeutics acting via the central nervous system.

About Type 2 diabetes and obesity

Today's growing epidemic of obesity and Type 2 diabetes, coupled with a lack of innovation in the industry's metabolic disease treatment pipeline, underscores the need for novel treatments with improved safety profiles. While diabetes currently affects one in ten U.S. adults, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) forecasts that up to one in three American adults could have diabetes by 2050. Experts attribute the rise in obesity nationwide as one of the major contributors to this growing epidemic. According to the CDC, approximately 33 percent of U.S. adults (72 million) and 17 percent of children ages 2 to 19 (12.5 million) are considered obese. The direct annual medical costs associated with Type 2 diabetes and obesity are more than $265 billion in the U.S. alone.

Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT)

Ember's unique approach is building upon recent research breakthroughs and insights into the mechanism of BAT activity. Unlike white adipose tissue which stores energy, BAT burns stored calories via increased energy expenditure. Preclinical research has shown that augmenting and activating BAT results in both weight loss and a greater-than-expected impact on other parameters of metabolic disease, such as lowering blood glucose disproportionately to what might be expected by weight loss itself. As a result, understanding BAT physiology has emerged as an exciting area for the development of therapeutics for metabolic disease. 

In 2009, a group of scientists (including Ember founders and scientific advisors) made the seminal observation that human adults contain active BAT. There is growing body of evidence that BAT can be recruited/activated in humans to modulate metabolic parameters as well as genetic evidence linking constitutional leanness to brown fat activity (See References).

Greater understanding of translational biology between mammalian species will allow for development of therapeutics that can augment BAT in humans. Ember-sponsored research using PET imaging has confirmed that cold exposure activates BAT in monkeys, findings similar to previous observations in humans and rodents.

 

PET imaging has confirmed that cold exposure activates BAT in non-human primates. Images produced as part of a sponsored research agreement between Ember and University of Pittsburgh.

Cold Temperature (Activation of Brown Fat):

Warm Temperature (Reduced Activation of Brown Fat):

References:

Metabolically active brown adipose tissue in healthy adult humans

  • Van Lichtenbelt et at N Engl J Med (2009)
  • Cypess et al N Engl J Med (2009)
  • Virtanen et al N Engl J Med (2009)

Evidence of brown fact activity in constitutional lean humans

  • Pasanisi et al J Clin Endo Metab (2013)

Recruitable/activated brown fat in humans

  • Yoneshiro et al J Clin Inv (2013
  • Anouk et al J Clin Inv (2013)
  • Chen et al J Clin Endo Metab (2013)
  • Greenhill Nat Rev Endo (2013)
  • Lee et al Diabetes (2014)
  • Chondrokinola et al Diabetes (2014)