Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced the commencement of a Phase 1/2a clinical trial for ARO-ALK7, an investigational RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic aimed at treating obesity. This study marks the first clinical evaluation of an RNAi therapeutic targeting a gene expressed in adipose tissue. The trial will explore the effects of single and multiple escalating doses of ARO-ALK7 as monotherapy in otherwise healthy obese subjects. Additionally, the trial will investigate the combination of ARO-ALK7 with tirzepatide in obese patients, both with and without type 2 diabetes. Preclinical studies of ARO-ALK7 demonstrated reduced body weight and fat mass while preserving lean muscle, through the silencing of Activin receptor-like kinase 7 (ALK7) expression in adipose tissue. Arrowhead's proprietary Targeted RNAi Molecule (TRiM™) platform facilitates the delivery of siRNA to multiple tissues and cell types, underscoring the company's leadership in this area.