Real-World Effects of MC4R Agonist Therapy in BBS and Severe Genetic Obesity

Summary

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) and other rare disorders associated with impairment of the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) pathway are characterized by severe early-onset obesity, hyperphagia, and substantial morbidity. Setmelanotide, an MC4R agonist, is approved in Europe for selected genetic obesity disorders and reimbursed in Germany for eligible patients. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, treatment persistence, metabolic outcomes, and patient-reported outcomes of Setmelanotide under real-world conditions. The registry is designed to allow future inclusion of additional MC4R agonists as they become approved and clinically available. The study will primarily be conducted at University Hospital Essen and will collect longitudinal routine clinical data from pediatric and adult patients receiving MC4R agonist therapy according to approved indications.

Timeline

Start

2023-01-01

Primary completion

2030-12-31

Completion

2030-12-31

Publications

• Background Collet TH, Dubern B, Mokrosinski J, Connors H, Keogh JM, Mendes de Oliveira E, Henning E, Poitou-Bernert C, Oppert JM, Tounian P, Marchelli F, Alili R, Le Beyec J, Pepin D, Lacorte JM, Gottesdiener A, Bounds R, Sharma S, Folster C, Henderson B, O'Rahilly S, Stoner E, Gottesdiener K, Panaro BL, Cone RD, Clement K, Farooqi IS, Van der Ploeg LHT. Evaluation of a melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) agonist (Setmelanotide) in MC4R deficiency. Mol Metab. 2017 Oct;6(10):1321-1329. doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2017.06.015. Epub 2017 Jul 8.
• Background Kamermans A, Verhoeven T, van Het Hof B, Koning JJ, Borghuis L, Witte M, van Horssen J, de Vries HE, Rijnsburger M. Setmelanotide, a Novel, Selective Melanocortin Receptor-4 Agonist Exerts Anti-inflammatory Actions in Astrocytes and Promotes an Anti-inflammatory Macrophage Phenotype. Front Immunol. 2019 Oct 4;10:2312. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02312. eCollection 2019.
• Background Talbi R, Stincic TL, Ferrari K, Ji Hae C, Walec K, Medve E, Gerutshang A, Leon S, McCarthy EA, Ronnekleiv OK, Kelly MJ, Navarro VM. POMC neurons control fertility through differential signaling of MC4R in kisspeptin neurons. Elife. 2025 Jul 17;13:RP100722. doi: 10.7554/eLife.100722.
• Background Forsythe E, Haws RM, Argente J, Beales P, Martos-Moreno GA, Dollfus H, Chirila C, Gnanasakthy A, Buckley BC, Mallya UG, Clement K, Haqq AM. Quality of life improvements following one year of setmelanotide in children and adult patients with Bardet-Biedl syndrome: phase 3 trial results. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2023 Jan 16;18(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s13023-022-02602-4.
• Background Haqq AM, Chung WK, Dollfus H, Haws RM, Martos-Moreno GA, Poitou C, Yanovski JA, Mittleman RS, Yuan G, Forsythe E, Clement K, Argente J. Efficacy and safety of setmelanotide, a melanocortin-4 receptor agonist, in patients with Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Alstrom syndrome: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial with an open-label period. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2022 Dec;10(12):859-868. doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(22)00277-7. Epub 2022 Nov 7.
• Background Sweeney P, Gimenez LE, Hernandez CC, Cone RD. Targeting the central melanocortin system for the treatment of metabolic disorders. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2023 Sep;19(9):507-519. doi: 10.1038/s41574-023-00855-y. Epub 2023 Jun 26.
• Background Barnett S, Reilly S, Carr L, Ojo I, Beales PL, Charman T. Behavioural phenotype of Bardet-Biedl syndrome. J Med Genet. 2002 Dec;39(12):e76. doi: 10.1136/jmg.39.12.e76. No abstract available.
• Background Cetiner M, Finkelberg I, Schiepek F, Pape L, Hirtz R, Buscher AK. Ultrasound evaluation of kidney and liver involvement in Bardet-Biedl syndrome. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2024 Nov 12;19(1):425. doi: 10.1186/s13023-024-03400-w.
• Background Dollfus H, Lilien MR, Maffei P, Verloes A, Muller J, Bacci GM, Cetiner M, van den Akker ELT, Grudzinska Pechhacker M, Testa F, Lacombe D, Stokman MF, Simonelli F, Gouronc A, Gavard A, van Haelst MM, Koenig J, Rossignol S, Bergmann C, Zacchia M, Leroy BP, Mosbah H, Van Eerde AM, Mekahli D, Servais A, Poitou C, Valverde D. Bardet-Biedl syndrome improved diagnosis criteria and management: Inter European Reference Networks consensus statement and recommendations. Eur J Hum Genet. 2024 Nov;32(11):1347-1360. doi: 10.1038/s41431-024-01634-7. Epub 2024 Jul 31.
• Results Huhne T, Polichronidou IM, Finkelberg I, Brensing P, Jaegers J, Dinkelbach L, Kiewert C, Galetzka W, Huessler EM, Scherer T, Bokenkamp A, Gackler A, Pape L, Cetiner M. Impact of the Melanocortin-4 Receptor Agonist Setmelanotide on MASLD and Kidney Function in Bardet-Biedl Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2026 Feb 20;111(3):721-733. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgaf483.

Drugs

Indications