Sookmyung Women’s University and Sungkyunkwan University team boosts strength and endurance in older mice

[Financial News] A candidate compound that could slow sarcopenia, a condition in which muscle mass and strength decline with age, showed promising results in mouse experiments. A joint research team led by Professor Bae Gyu-woon of the College of Pharmacy at Sookmyung Women’s University and Professor Kang Jong-soon of the College of Medicine at Sungkyunkwan University said on the 8th that it had confirmed the effects of the candidate compound AMC9005 and how it works.
The researchers gave the compound to older mice every day and compared them with mice that did not receive it. The treated mice showed improved grip strength and running endurance, while some leg muscles grew heavier and their muscle fibers thickened. Blood sugar and fatty acid levels fell, and fat accumulated in the muscles and liver also decreased.
The team also conducted experiments using dexamethasone, a drug that weakens muscles. In muscle-cell experiments, the compound prevented the cells from shrinking. In mouse experiments, it restored some of the grip strength lost by mice whose muscles had weakened, but the difference in muscle weight was not statistically significant.
The compound is being developed by the biotech company AnimusCure. The university said the company had received orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare inherited muscle disease. Because obesity treatments can lead to muscle loss along with weight loss, the company is also considering using the compound alongside obesity drugs.
The researchers believe the compound helps mitochondria, the cell’s energy-producing structures, function properly. Their explanation is that restoring the ability to produce energy can help slow muscle loss.
However, these findings are from mouse experiments. The paper also said further research is needed to determine whether the same effects occur in humans. According to the paper, Professors Bae and Kang co-founded AnimusCure and hold stakes in the company, which also provided some of the research funding. The universities where the two professors are affiliated reviewed and approved the matter.
Sarcopenia increases the risk of falls and injuries and lowers quality of life. Declining mitochondrial function is considered one of its causes, but treatments that can effectively address it remain limited.
Professor Bae said, “This study is significant because it suggests the potential of a new therapeutic approach that restores mitochondrial function during muscle aging and atrophy,” adding, “I will continue research to identify the mechanisms underlying the onset of various muscle diseases, including sarcopenia, and to develop effective treatment strategies.”
The findings were published online on the 25th of last month in the international journal Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy.

[email protected] Kim Man-gi Reporter