Leptin Receptor Agonists for Depression Despite Unreliable Leptin Levels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for mood disorders, particularly depressive disorders, are limited by inconsistent associations between leptin levels and depression, with existing data being heterogeneous and contradictory, and there is a need for effective therapeutic interventions.

Innovation Solution

Administration of a therapeutically effective amount of leptin receptor agonists, such as metreleptin, to ameliorate mood disorders, including depressive episodes, either alone or in combination with additional antidepressants.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If current treatments for mood disorders are used, then existing therapeutic options are available, but treatment effectiveness is limited due to inconsistent associations between leptin levels and depression

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoidinconsistent associations between leptin levels and depression

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the therapeutic parameter from conventional antidepressants to leptin receptor agonists (specifically metreleptin), representing a fundamental shift in treatment approach. This parameter change addresses the inconsistency in current treatments by targeting a specific biological mechanism (leptin signaling) that has been shown to improve depressive symptoms across different patient groups, thereby improving treatment reliability despite heterogeneous baseline leptin levels

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces leptin receptor agonists as an intermediary substance that mediates the treatment effect. Metreleptin acts as a mediator by binding to leptin receptors in the brain and activating downstream signaling pathways that regulate mood and emotional processing. This intermediary approach bypasses the uncertainty of direct leptin level measurements and directly targets the neural mechanisms underlying depression

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If leptin levels are measured to guide treatment, then patient-specific treatment could be optimized, but the heterogeneous and contradictory data make this approach unreliable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient-specific treatment optimizationVSAvoidleptin level measurement reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by not using leptin level measurement to guide treatment decisions. Instead of measuring endogenous leptin levels and basing treatment on those results (which proved unreliable), the patent administers fixed-dose leptin receptor agonists to all patients regardless of their baseline leptin levels. This inversion resolves the contradiction by making treatment effective without relying on precise leptin measurement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies a universal treatment approach where leptin receptor agonists are administered to all patients with depressive disorders regardless of their specific leptin levels, BMI, or other individual variations. This universal approach has proven effective across diverse patient populations, making the treatment versatile and applicable to broad groups without requiring precise individualized measurement and adjustment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The treatment with leptin receptor agonists, such as metreleptin, demonstrates surprising efficacy in ameliorating depressive symptoms and related disorders, regardless of endogenous leptin levels, offering potential for rapid mood improvement and reducing symptom severity.

Implementation Method 1

leptin crosses the blood brain barrier and binds to a specific leptin receptor (LepRb) that is distributed in several brain regions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLeptin receptor binding:

Data Source

PatentUS20250339497A1Methods for treating mood disorders by administering a leptin receptor agonist

Publication Date: 2025.11.06 UNIV DUISBURG ESSEN

AI summary

The invention concerns methods for treating mood disorders such as depressive disorder or episodes, or other mood disorders with current depressive episodes, by administration of a leptin receptor agonist, such as metreleptin. The invention further shows amelioration of depressive disorder or episode and related conditions in patients suffering from depression as a primary disorder, or a depressive disorder or episode as a secondary disorder and/or comorbidity. The invention also concerns methods for treating a depressive episode, or a depressive disorder.