PEP-064

PEP-064 is a novel, stabilized, long-acting ghrelin analogue being developed by Pephexia Therapeutics for the treatment of cancer cachexia. As a ghrelin receptor agonist, it mimics the action of the endogenous hormone ghrelin to stimulate appetite and restore energy balance. In preclinical mouse models of cancer cachexia, including C26 and Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC), PEP-064 has demonstrated the ability to increase food intake, preserve lean body mass, and increase adiposity without promoting tumor growth. The compound also stimulates the secretion of growth hormone and activates neuronal pathways in the hypothalamus and amygdala associated with energy regulation. Its extended half-life (approximately 6.6 hours in mice) is designed to overcome the clinical limitations of native ghrelin, which is characterized by a very short duration of action.