New drug for weight loss causes fat cells to die
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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In a study published in the journal Medical Science Translational, researchers presented a new and potentially revolutionary approach to weight loss in obesity, a drug called Adipotide, whose mechanism of action is to reduce the blood supply of fat cells (adipocytes), causing them to simply die off.
Standard approaches to treating obesity are usually to increase metabolism and / or reduce calorie intake with appetite suppression. And this does not exclude regular trips to the gym and, in some cases, gastric bypass.
Dr. Lou Aronne, director of the comprehensive weight control program at Weil-Cornell Medical College explains: "To date, this is a supernovae concept in the fight against obesity ... But we still need to conduct research on people for effectiveness and, more importantly, safety" .
First the drug was tested on monkeys. The results of the experiment showed that within four weeks they lost an average of 11 percent of the total body weight. The drug also reduced the body mass index (BMI), which is determined by the ratio of fat to other tissues. It is interesting that the monkeys, who did not suffer from obesity, did not lose weight. And this means that the drug effectively acts only on fat cells.
Researchers hope that the proven efficacy of the drug on animals means that the drug will be tolerated by humans relatively easily, although clinical studies may take several years.
For the appearance of Adipotide in the medical market, it must be approved by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration), because the drug can cause side effects, in particular reversible kidney disorders , and with long-term or repeated administration of the drug, there may be a worsening of kidney problems .
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