MedPacto-Gilo Research Institute Identifies Protein Causing Osteoporosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis

MedPacto announced on the 29th that, through joint research with the Gilro Research Institute Foundation, where CEO Kim Sung-jin also serves as the head of the research institute, they have identified the 'MOART' protein, which plays a role in the multinucleation formation of osteoclasts that cause osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis, for the first time in the world.

Research results co-authored by Seongjin Kim, CEO of MedPacto and Director of Gillo Research Institute, as the corresponding author have been published in the international journal Metabolism.
[Photo by MedPacto]

The results of this study were published in the prestigious international journal Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental (IF: 9.8). This journal is ranked fourth worldwide in the field of endocrine metabolism.

The research team discovered that the MOART protein, whose expression increases in the final stage of osteoclast differentiation, plays a key role in the multinucleation formation of osteoclasts. Based on this, they developed a therapeutic agent targeting MOART called 'MP2021' and confirmed its outstanding therapeutic effect in significantly suppressing bone loss in an osteoporosis mouse model.

They also confirmed the potential of MP2021 as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. According to preclinical data recently presented at the American College of Rheumatology, MP2021 effectively suppressed inflammation in a collagen-induced arthritis mouse model and markedly reduced cartilage damage, bone erosion, and the expression of inflammation-related genes. MedPacto and the Gilro Research Institute plan to submit a paper on the mechanism of action of MP2021 in treating rheumatoid arthritis to an international journal in the future.

The research team stated, "MP2021, which has a mechanism of action different from existing drugs, is an innovative therapeutic agent that specifically suppresses both inflammation and bone loss simultaneously. It is expected to improve patients' quality of life as a treatment not only for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and bone metastasis but also for effectively suppressing rapid bone loss that occurs after discontinuation of existing drug treatments."

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