Scientists think they may have developed a new weight loss drug that is more than twice as effective as Ozempic with fewer negative side effects.
GLP-1 injectable medications, which include Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, mimic natural glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone that regulates appetite and metabolism.
Depending on the drug, they can target either one, two or three hormones.
They work by increasing insulin production, slowing gastric emptying to prolong fullness, and acting on the brain’s satiety centers, which reduces hunger and cravings.
This leads to a decrease in food intake, helping with blood sugar control and weight management.
These drugs, however, come with unpleasant, and sometimes life-threatening side effects, ranging from tooth decay to vision loss and hearing problems.
But now, a team at Tufts University in Massachusetts has identified a fourth hormone to target they say could potentially further enhance these appetite-suppressing effects, without the repercussions.
They say their ‘four-in-one’ hormone drug has been designed to deliver lasting, weight loss results that mimic bariatric surgery, the gold standard of weight-loss intervention.
Because it targets multiple biological pathways that regulate appetite, metabolism, and energy use, it is said to be more effective and tolerated than existing drugs.
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Bariatric surgery is generally considered the most effective solution for long-term and significant weight loss, with studies showing patients lose significantly more body weight after surgery.
The expected weight loss is about 10 to 15 percent for Wegovy and Ozempic and 15 to 21 percent for Zepbound and Mounjaro, which compares to 25 to 35 percent for bariatric surgery.
Surgery – which can cost in excess of $10,000 – is more invasive, has associated risks like leaks, bleeding, blood clots, and infections, which can be severe and even fatal.
Longer-term issues can include nutritional deficiencies, gallstones, bowel obstruction, acid reflux, and scarring.
But the Tufts team believe their new drug can mimic the effects of weight loss surgery.
Unlike other GLP-1 medications, the scientists say the new drug targets four ‘dimmer switches’ in the body, which manage appetite, satiety, blood sugar and energy use.
The four hormones it acts on are GLP-1, GIP, glucagon and Peptide YY (PYY).
Lead author Tristan Dinsmore, PhD, a researcher at Tufts University, explained to Fox News: ‘We built a single experimental peptide that works like four hormones at once, so we’re not pushing one button too hard. Instead, we’re nudging four ‘dimmer switches’ together… [It helps to] balance things out.’
Tristan Dinsmore, a graduate student in the Kumar lab and the lead author of the study, added: ‘There is one more hormone we wanted to bring in to complete a weight control quartet.
‘It’s called peptide YY (PYY). This molecule is also secreted by the gut after we eat a meal, and its job is to reduce appetite and slow the process of emptying food from the stomach, but via different mechanisms than either GLP-1 or GIP. It may also be involved in directly burning off fat.’
PYY is from a separate and structurally unrelated class of hormones than the first three, so blending the different molecules was a difficult process.
Justine Martin lost 33lbs on Mounjaro but needed to stop due to side effects. She reported the food noise coming back, gaining 5.5lbs and her ‘resolve hanging by a thread’
But the medication is far off from being available as it is still in development and has not yet been tested in human trials.
Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are used by over 15 million adults in the US, or 4.5 percent of the population.
Despite their effectiveness, they have drawbacks.
Their effect may not last after discontinuing use, and side effects including osteoporosis and muscle loss have raised concerns about long-term harms.
They also induce nausea, which can make it difficult to stay the course of treatment.
For certain weight loss medications, particularly GLP-1 receptor agonists (such as Wegovy and Zepbound), there are reports of severe side effects, including suicidal ideation and gastrointestinal issues like gastroparesis (stomach paralysis).
However, evidence is conflicting, and regulatory agencies like the FDA have not established a direct causal link.
Additionally, after stopping weight loss drugs, patients tend to regain approximately two-thirds of the weight they lost within a year, with significant weight gain occurring as hormone levels return to their pre-treatment state.
Scientists claim to have hit upon a new weight loss drug which is more than twice as effective and comes with less side effects than Ozempic and Wegovy (stock image)
Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are used by over 15 million adults in the US, or 4.5 percent of the population
Krishna Kumar, a professor of chemistry at Tufts who led research on the new weight loss drug, explains: ‘The biggest problem with GLP-1 drugs is that they have to be injected once a week, and they can induce a very strong feeling of nausea.
‘As much as 40 percent of people using these drugs give up after the first month.’
Mounjaro or Zepbound (the brand names for tirzepatide) have less nausea associated with them and they work by activating both the GLP-1 and GIP hormone pathways, making them ‘dual-acting’ drugs.
There is currently another drug called retatrutide, which targets three hormone pathways, in clinical trials but the Tufts team say their ‘four-in-one’ hormone drug would be a game-changer.
Martin Beinborn, a visiting scholar in the department of chemistry, concluded: ‘By hitting four different hormone receptors at the same time, we hope to improve the chances of averaging out such variation toward the goal of achieving greater and more consistent overall effectiveness.’
The Tufts report appeared in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
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