Magdalena Biosciences, a Joint Venture Between Jaguar Health and Filament Health, Initiates Preclinical Study of Coca for Appetite Suppression

Rhea-AI Summary

Magdalena Biosciences (JAGX), a joint venture between Jaguar and Filament, has initiated a one-month preclinical mice study to evaluate a whole leaf coca extract for appetite suppression and post-GLP-1 weight management, with research conducted in Alberta, Canada on March 16, 2026.

The coca material was supplied by Peru's ENACO with an Internationally Recognized Certificate of Compliance (IRCC) under the Nagoya Protocol. Magdalena also plans to evaluate CNS indications including ADHD under FDA botanical drug guidance.

Positive

• One-month preclinical study initiated in mice (Mar 16, 2026)
• Joint venture formed between Jaguar and Filament (Magdalena Biosciences)
• Coca supply provided by ENACO with IRCC compliance

Negative

• Early-stage data only: study limited to preclinical mice research
• No human efficacy or clinical outcomes reported yet

Market Context

This announcement highlighted the start of a preclinical, 1-month mouse study of whole leaf coca ext...

Analysis

This announcement highlighted the start of a preclinical, 1-month mouse study of whole leaf coca extract for appetite suppression and post-GLP-1 weight management by Magdalena, a joint venture involving Filament Health. Investors may monitor progression from preclinical work toward human studies, regulatory feedback under FDA botanical drug guidance, and any future data readouts supporting mental health or CNS indications such as ADHD and other neuropsychiatric conditions.

Key Figures

Study duration: 1 month Traditional use duration: 8,000 years

2 metrics

Study duration 1 month Preclinical mouse study of whole leaf coca extract

Traditional use duration 8,000 years Estimated period coca has been used in Andean traditional medicine

Key Terms

preclinical study, glp-1, botanical drug, central nervous system (cns), +3 more

7 terms

preclinical study medical

"has initiated a preclinical study evaluating the effectiveness of a whole leaf coca"

Lab and animal experiments conducted before testing a drug or medical device in humans to evaluate safety, dosing and early signs of effectiveness. Think of it as a prototype test drive that helps scientists spot serious problems and tune the approach before human trials; positive preclinical results lower the chance of costly failure and raise the value and credibility of a biotech investment, while negative results increase risk.

glp-1 medical

"post-GLP-1 weight loss management"

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is a natural hormone in the body that helps regulate blood sugar levels and appetite. Its significance to investors lies in its role as the basis for a class of medications that address conditions like type 2 diabetes and obesity, which are large and growing markets. Advances or investments in GLP-1-based treatments can signal opportunities in healthcare innovation and potentially impact pharmaceutical companies’ growth.

botanical drug regulatory

"developed under FDA botanical drug guidance"

A botanical drug is a medicine made from plant materials—such as whole herbs, extracts, or combinations of plant parts—developed and tested to treat or prevent disease under formal regulatory approval. Investors watch botanical drugs because their success depends on consistent manufacturing, clear safety and effectiveness data, and regulatory acceptance; think of it like turning a family recipe into a packaged, inspected product that must meet quality rules before it can be sold widely, which affects market size and risk.

central nervous system (cns) medical

"mental health and central nervous system (CNS) indications for coca"

The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the body that includes the brain and spinal cord, acting as the control center for processing information and directing actions. It is essential for coordinating all bodily functions, from movement to thinking. For investors, understanding the CNS is important because it illustrates how complex systems—like markets or organizations—rely on core components to operate smoothly.

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (adhd) medical

"including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other neuropsychiatric"

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent difficulties with attention, impulsivity and sometimes excessive activity, affecting how people focus, plan and follow through on tasks. It matters to investors because diagnosis rates, treatment choices, workplace accommodations and ongoing research drive demand for medications, digital therapies and specialty services, similar to how changing consumer needs reshape markets and company revenues.

neuropsychiatric medical

"ADHD and other neuropsychiatric indications"

Conditions or symptoms that involve both the brain’s biology and a person’s mood, thinking or behavior; they sit at the intersection of neurology and psychiatry. Investors care because neuropsychiatric issues often require specialized drugs, devices or diagnostics, carry distinct regulatory and safety risks, and can affect patient populations and market size — think of them as disorders where hardware (brain circuitry) and software (behavior) problems overlap.

nagoya protocol regulatory

"in compliance with the Nagoya Protocol requirements of Peru"

An international agreement that sets rules for accessing genetic resources (like plant, animal or microbial material) and sharing benefits with the countries or communities that provide them. It matters to investors because companies in biotech, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and related fields must secure permits, negotiate benefit-sharing deals and follow tracing requirements—similar to getting permission and agreeing on payment when borrowing a neighbor’s recipe—which can affect costs, timelines, legal risk and the value of related intellectual property.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Whole leaf coca extract under evaluation is Magdalena's drug candidate for post-GLP-1 weight loss management

SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 16, 2026 / Jaguar Health, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAGX) ("Jaguar") today announced that Magdalena Biosciences ("Magdalena"), a US-based joint venture formed by Jaguar and Canada-based Filament Health Corp. (OTC:FLHLF) ("Filament"), has initiated a preclinical study evaluating the effectiveness of a whole leaf coca extract for appetite suppression. The coca leaf extract is Magdalena's drug candidate for post-GLP-1 weight loss management. This one-month study in mice is being conducted in Alberta, Canada.

"We are very pleased to have initiated this study of Magdalena's whole leaf coca extract being developed under FDA botanical drug guidance," said Steven King, Ph.D., Jaguar's Chief Sustainable Supply and Ethnobotanical Research Officer and an Advisor to Magdalena. "Indigenous peoples and healers in the Andean region of Peru have utilized coca for centuries to manage hunger and fatigue. Magdalena is focusing on a number of potential applications for a coca-based therapeutic that can help suppress appetite, including but not limited to appetite suppression in people who have taken GLP-1's and related drugs on a short-term basis and who are eager to not add weight back following treatment. It's common for people to regain weight after stopping GLP-1 drugs because these medications actively change appetite and metabolism while you take them. When the drug is removed, the body's natural weight-regulation system often returns to its previous state."

The coca leaf that is part of this Magdalena research and development program was provided to Magdalena by Empresa Nacional de La Coca (ENACO), a Peruvian state company dedicated to the commercialization of the coca leaf and derivatives, with an Internationally Recognized Certificate of Compliance (IRCC) in compliance with the Nagoya Protocol requirements of Peru.

As announced, Magdalena also plans to evaluate a variety of potential mental health and central nervous system (CNS) indications for coca, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other neuropsychiatric indications.

"We believe the development of FDA-approved drugs from 'whole extract' coca leaf can provide therapeutic benefit, and that the development process will benefit the people of Peru, who have been sustainably producing coca leaves for several thousand years. Plant-derived medicines offer potential new mechanisms of action while being potentially safer than chemically synthesized small molecule drugs that may have 'off target' effects," Dr. King said. "We are grateful to the people of the Andean region who have domesticated the sacred plant, 'mama coca,' which is and has been interwoven in the ritual, spiritual and traditional medicine of indigenous and non-indigenous communities for an estimated 8,000 years."

Image of coca leaves. © Steven King, Ph.D.

"The initiation of this study in Alberta is a key step in the important work of exploring coca leaf's therapeutic potential for appetite suppression and weight loss management," said Lisa Conte, Jaguar's founder, president, and CEO and a member of Magdalena's board of directors.

ABOUT MAGDALENA BIOSCIENCES

Jaguar Health, Inc. and Filament Health Corp. formed Magdalena Biosciences, Inc. as a joint venture in 2023 to develop novel, natural prescription medicines derived from plants for mental health and CNS indications. Boulder, Colorado-based One Small Planet, founded by Will Peterffy, has committed to funding of US$1,000,000. The goal of the collaboration is to extend the botanical drug development capabilities of Jaguar and Filament in order to develop pharmaceutical-grade, standardized drug candidates for mental health disorders.

ABOUT FILAMENT HEALTH (OTC:FLHLF)

Filament Health is a clinical-stage natural psychedelic drug development company. We believe that safe, standardized, naturally-derived psychedelic medicines can improve the lives of many, and our mission is to see them in the hands of everyone who needs them as soon as possible. Filament's platform of proprietary intellectual property enables the discovery, development, and delivery of natural psychedelic medicines. We are paving the way with what we believe to be the first-ever natural psychedelic drug candidates.

Learn more at www.filament.health and on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About the Jaguar Health Family of Companies

Jaguar Health, Inc. ("Jaguar") develops novel proprietary prescription drugs sustainably derived from plants for people with complicated gastrointestinal ("GI") disease states. Jaguar family companies Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Napo Therapeutics S.p.A. focus on the development and commercialization of novel crofelemer powder for oral solution for the treatment of rare and orphan gastrointestinal disorders with intestinal failure, including microvillus inclusion disease and short bowel syndrome. Magdalena Biosciences, a joint venture formed by Jaguar and Filament Health Corp. that emerged from Jaguar's Entheogen Therapeutics Initiative (ETI), is focused on developing novel prescription medicines derived from plants for mental health indications.

For more information about:

Jaguar Health, visit https://jaguar.health

Napo Pharmaceuticals, visit napopharma.com

Napo Therapeutics, visit napotherapeutics.com

Magdalena Biosciences, visit magdalenabiosciences.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements." These include statements regarding the expectation that Magdalena will evaluate a variety of potential mental health and CNS indications for coca, including ADHD and other neuropsychiatric indications, the expectation that development of drugs from 'whole extract' coca leaf can provide therapeutic benefit and that the development process will benefit the people of Peru. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "aim," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this release are only predictions. Jaguar has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond Jaguar's control. Except as required by applicable law, Jaguar does not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

Contact Info:

hello@jaguar.health
Jaguar-JAGX

SOURCE: Jaguar Health, Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

FAQ

What did Magdalena Biosciences announce about appetite suppression on March 16, 2026 (JAGX)?

Magdalena initiated a one-month preclinical mice study testing whole leaf coca extract for appetite suppression. According to the company, the study runs in Alberta and evaluates coca as a candidate for post-GLP-1 weight management.

What is the scope and location of the coca study announced by Magdalena (JAGX)?

The study is a one-month preclinical study in mice conducted in Alberta, Canada. According to the company, it follows FDA botanical drug guidance and assesses appetite suppression potential.

Who supplies the coca leaf for Magdalena's research (JAGX) and is it compliant?

The coca leaf was provided by ENACO of Peru with an Internationally Recognized Certificate of Compliance (IRCC). According to the company, this supply complies with Peru's Nagoya Protocol requirements.

Will Magdalena's coca program for appetite suppression affect JAGX shareholders immediately?

No immediate financial impact is reported; the program is preclinical and early-stage. According to the company, further development and clinical data are needed before assessing shareholder value implications.

Is Magdalena evaluating other indications for coca beyond appetite suppression (JAGX)?

Yes. Magdalena plans to evaluate multiple CNS and mental health indications, including ADHD and other neuropsychiatric uses. According to the company, these are potential applications under exploration.

Under what regulatory approach is Magdalena developing the coca extract (JAGX)?

Magdalena is developing the coca extract under FDA botanical drug guidance. According to the company, the program intends to follow FDA botanical pathways for potential therapeutic development.