Metabolism is the chemical process whereby the body produces energy from food. By breaking down carbohydrates and fats into sugars, the cells access fuel that can be used or stored via the liver or body fat. A metabolic disorder can occur when the body's chemical reactions become abnormal. This results in metabolic syndrome, where there is an excess or scarcity of health-preserving essential substances. Metabolic syndrome includes diseases such as obesity (increased fat deposits in the body) and increased glucose in the blood. These conditions increase the risk of comorbidities, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Obesity has become a global epidemic. For example, up to 40% of adults in the USA are obese, and the rates continue to climb across multiple populations. By 2030, over one billion individuals worldwide are predicted to be obese, with 1 in 7 men and 1 in 5 women living with the condition. Obesity is associated with an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, sleep apnea, and some cancers. Obesity is estimated to increase U.S. healthcare spending by $170 billion annually, so it is no surprise that companies like Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO), Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) and Teva (NYSE:TEVA) are working on the epidemic as well.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in 2022 over 37 million Americans had diabetes, with up to 95% having type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes has been considered a disease in adults. However, it is becoming more common in children, adolescents and younger adults.

Stem cells are a unique kind of therapeutic cell. They are some of the most potent cells in the body, which can develop into many other more specialized and organ or tissue-specific cells. Brown fat stem cells are taken from a healthy donor and grown in the laboratory before being transplanted into the patient's body to generate new brown fat tissue or initiate metabolic homeostasis. Brown fat regulates body temperature by breaking down body fat and glucose in the blood. Brown fat produces energy and in so doing burns calories. Individuals with detectable brown fat are at a reduced risk of being diagnosed with cardiovascular and metabolic issues, such as type 2 diabetes, congestive heart failure, and high blood pressure.

The ThermoStem® program harnesses the body’s ability to create new brown fat tissue from human brown adipose-derived stem cells. The novelty of the technology was acknowledged by the European Patent Office’s Notice of Allowance issued on the 6th of February, 2023. 

A bright future could await BioRestorative Therapies and the metabolic syndrome market in general. This is due to the heightened demand for personalized once-off treatments for the increasing number of individuals with lifestyle diseases and metabolic syndrome. There is also some intense clinical interest in this space. 

In 2017, the global metabolic disorder therapeutics market was valued at $49.65 billion and was projected to experience an impressive CAGR of 7.56% from 2019 to 2025. North America is the leading region driving this growth. The increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes, high healthcare spending, and rising awareness about metabolic disorders continue to propel regional market growth even further.