Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc.

Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing novel, small-molecule therapeutics. The company's core mission is to activate innate homeostatic pathways to alleviate hunger, primarily for the treatment of metabolic diseases. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Aardvark Therapeutics was founded in 2017.

The company's therapeutic approach focuses on targeting Bitter Taste Receptors (TAS2Rs) located in the gut lumen to modulate gut-brain signaling and suppress hunger. Its lead product candidate, ARD-101, is an oral, gut-restricted small-molecule agonist of specific TAS2Rs. ARD-101 is currently in Phase 3 clinical development for hyperphagia associated with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) and is also being investigated for hypothalamic obesity. Aardvark Therapeutics is also advancing ARD-201, a planned fixed-dose combination of ARD-101 with a DPP-4 inhibitor, designed to address limitations of current GLP-1 therapies for obesity and related conditions. Additionally, the company is evaluating WE-868, a novel small molecule for potential use in obesity and diabetes.

Aardvark Therapeutics became a publicly traded company, listing on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol AARD, in February 2025. The company is led by its founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board, Dr. Tien-Li Lee. In early 2026, Aardvark Therapeutics announced a voluntary pause of its Phase 3 HERO trial for ARD-101 in Prader-Willi Syndrome, with an update anticipated in the second quarter of 2026. The company also established a new U.S. subsidiary, Ardia Therapeutics, in February 2026, to further its dermatology pipeline.