AZP-3404

**AZP-3404** is a stabilized 9-amino acid peptide analog derived from the heparin-binding domain-1 (HBD-1) of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2), developed by Alizé Pharma 3 (later Amolyt Pharma) based on research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of Maine. It harnesses IGFBP-2's IGF-independent effects on glucose and fat metabolism, potently restoring glucose control, reducing fat deposition, inducing weight loss, and improving glucose metabolism in preclinical models of severe insulin resistance and leptin resistance (e.g., db/db mice). Initially targeted for syndromes of severe insulin resistance and monogenic obesities—ultra-rare orphan diseases with high morbidity/mortality—it showed promise as a first-in-class therapy but has since been discontinued.[1][2][5][7][9]