Metabolic Health is revolutionizing the global healthcare industry. One of the recent discoveries is emerging from the local biotech industry, Proteimax, a company that has been active internationally for 7 years and stands at the forefront of this revolution.
The company developed a unique peptide discovery method that led to a platform comprising 54 natural micro-peptides. This platform represents a refreshing innovation and a significant "breakthrough for humanity" as the company defines it.
This platform contains an extensive network of sensors and receptors. It is supported by comprehensive scientific research in the field of medical cannabis for its ability to regulate, balance, and repair extended physical damage - using pure, synthesized proteins, or more precisely, peptides: short chains of 2 to 50 amino acids, which act as protein building blocks. The scientific discovery, backed by dozens of patents on molecules and production methods, is based on over 20 years of foundational biological research of intracellular peptides that regulate cellular function.
The company was co-founded by Dr. Andrea S. Heimann, Chief Science Officer, and Prof. Hammar Pró, both world-renowned biotechnology scientists from Brazil who made aliyah to Israel to advance the research and development activities related to the company's products. Alongside them are two additional co-founders, Dr. Arnon Krongrad, an American physician and scientist, and Nimrod Elmish, the company's CEO.
"The medical world now understands that peptides — the protein building blocks we have discovered —are able to carry messages and commands that the body can read and understand. We are talking about 54 building blocks, each responsible for a different aspect of health," notes Elmish.
In a conversation with him, he outlines the importance of the discovery of PEP19, the company's first peptide, which is already commercialized in the United States and Brazil after undergoing a series of successful trials, including in humans, as well as a series of approvals
meeting the strict standards of the FDA — granting it GRAS status and classification as a safe food supplement with no side effects.
"PEP19 is a peptide that sends an immediate command to all fat cells, signaling that the body is in an 'extreme state' and must use the most stubborn fat reserves and convert them into an energy source. A series of experiments we conducted on mammals at particularly low temperatures — including in ice water — which placed them in a state of distress, provided invaluable insights into the human body, and led to extraordinary discoveries. After a series of human trials, we demonstrated that the peptide, which acts directly on fat cells rather than through brain signaling pathways, can achieve a range of health benefits.
In fact, we saw optimal efficacy through a daily capsule taken before sleep — without changing lifestyle habits, diet, or injections of any kind, and most importantly — without any side effects."
What were the results you found in human trials?
"We conducted a series of controlled clinical trials in humans. The results included a 17% reduction in abdominal fat, a 23% reduction in insulin resistance, a 6% reduction in HbA1c levels, and a 35% improvement in sleep quality. The significance is that this one peptide can simultaneously combat several of the world's greatest epidemics, including heart attacks, high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, and peripheral fat. A daily use of this peptide may lead to improvement in these measures."
Which populations is PEP19 suitable for?
"Outside of Israel, peptides are considered the next big thing in the world of Healthcare, and are offered in various settings beyond primary care physicians. In the United States, for example, prescriptions for peptides — including GLP-1 — can be obtained over the phone by a nurse or a doctor. PEP19 is intended for millions of people who want to improve their metabolic health — from those with excess visceral fat or prediabetes to those who want to support their metabolism as part of a healthy lifestyle, as well as GLP-1 patients seeking support throughout the process or afterward. The market is eager for advanced non-injection solutions and products that have been tested in humans and have proven efficacy."
On the Path to Brazil's National Health Coverage
Alongside the launch of PEP19 in the United States — where it has been marketed in recent months as a dietary supplement — Proteimax is rapidly expanding its global marketing and distribution efforts. The focus: establishing a network of distribution and marketing partners, as well as partnerships for mass production and raw material refinement.
A significant boost for the company is coming directly from the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The reason lies in positive clinical results among patients with chronic hepatic fat, which led the Ministry to launch a major trial involving approximately 1,000 people using PEP19.
The purpose of the trial is to optimize dosing for users with different indications — in preparation for the official incorporation of the peptide into the SUS (Brazilian Unified Health System) as a therapeutic alternative. The company notes this is a strategic national health step that has the potential to significantly reduce morbidity from metabolic diseases and save billions for the healthcare system.
In contrast, the company has chosen to avoid the local Israeli market, at least for now. "Israel is a land of impossible restrictions," explains Elmish. "The Ministry of Health erects bureaucratic walls for years, including the need to obtain kashrut approvals from the Ministry of Religious Affairs. For a target audience of only a few million, this is a challenge that is not a priority for the company — at least not at this stage."
The Broader Vision
Meanwhile, Company's true vision continues to focus on improving lives, building on the remaining peptides in the family expected to reach the market over the coming decade.
"Our second peptide, PEP44, is focused on the goal of selectively 'killing' any rapidly dividing cell in the body, and as such is expected to provide an unprecedented solution for cancer diseases," reveals Elmish. "The third peptide, PEP51, will address neurological diseases and act to restore the central nervous system — which could be key to treating diseases like Alzheimer's, for example, and in the long term even extend life expectancy by more than 50 years."
This potential is the reason why the company chose to operate under the radar for many years. "We stayed quiet in order to complete patents and FDA approvals, avoiding the spotlight. We didn't want the giant pharmaceutical companies to realize that we are presenting a single-capsule solution for a large share of the world's pharmaceutical revenues in the future. Today, we can no longer be ignored," concludes Elmish.
Peptides have become one of the most exciting areas in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries in recent years. The discovery of an innovative peptide that has demonstrated significant results in humans is a rare event and, as such, attracts interest from pharmaceutical, dietary supplement, cosmetics, and functional food companies worldwide.
As of today, the company is at its commercial stage after a total raise of approximately $5.5 million, including $4 million from a Series A round that closed earlier this year.
In collaboration with Proteimax
