Patients with SBS typically have compromised levels of GLP-1, which is naturally produced in a portion of the GI tract that may be removed during surgical resection. Natural GLP-1 prevents the GI tract from moving rapidly ("ileal brake"). Without this "brake", there is unregulated gut motility, causing SBS patients’ bowels to empty rapidly and frequently compromising their ability to absorb nutrients and fluids and leaving them susceptible to intractable, malabsorptive diarrhea with frequent bowel movements and excessive stool output.
Vurolenatide is intended to replace missing GLP-1 to normalize GI transit and is intended to improve intestinal absorption of nutrients and water and reduce diarrhea for all patients with any type of post-surgical SBS, regardless of their parenteral support requirements. Owing to its extended half-life, vurolenatide only needs to be dosed weekly or bi-weekly versus daily for the current standard of care (GLP-2 analogue) , thus considerably improving convenience for patients and their caregivers.
9 Meters initiated the VIBRANT study (VurolenatIde for short Bowel syndrome Regardless of pArenteral support requiremeNT), a placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial in SBS in Q2 2021., The study includes patients with all post-surgical types of SBS regardless of their parenteral support requirements.
Vurolenatide is patent-protected and has received Orphan Drug designation by the FDA.