The rapid expansion of therapeutics targeting obesity, diabetes, and broader cardiometabolic diseases has intensified the need for robust, biologically relevant assays that accurately reflect drug mechanism of action (MoA). Incretin-based therapies, including GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonists, as well as metabolic regulators such as FGF-21 analogs and insulin signaling modulators, are central to the current treatment landscape, driving demand for reliable functional bioassays during drug discovery and development.
We now present the iLite Metabolic Panel, a modular reporter gene assay platform designed to quantify MoA-driven activity across key metabolic pathways. The panel integrates established iLite reporter cell assays for FGF-21 and insulin signaling with newly developed GLP-1 and GIP responsive cell lines. Together, these assays provide comprehensive coverage of clinically relevant targets underpinning modern metabolic therapies.
Here, we demonstrate the performance of the iLite Metabolic Panel for functional assessment of tirzepatide, liraglutide and retatrutide along with FGF-21 and insulin analogs. This platform represents a scalable solution for MoA-driven characterization of metabolic therapeutics, supporting drug development efforts from early characterization to potency assessment and comparability studies.
The iLite platform leverages engineered reporter cells in which pathway-specific signaling events induce expression of a Svar luciferase reporter, enabling sensitive and quantitative readouts of receptor activation. The assays are provided in the iLite Assay Ready Cell format, ensuring high reproducibility, streamlined workflows, and reduced assay variability compared to traditional cell-based approaches.
Contributing Authors:
Jessica Congiu, Ulrich Mayer, Christophe Lallemand, Caroline Grygar, Lone Frier Bovin
Svar Life Science AB, Malmö, Sweden
