A newly developed pill may provide a new option for managing type 2 diabetes and obesity. Early studies indicate that it could help reduce blood sugar levels and promote fat burning, while avoiding some common drawbacks of existing weight-loss medications, such as appetite suppression and muscle loss.
Unlike widely used GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, which require injection and regulate appetite via gut–brain signaling, the new therapy works through a completely different mechanism.
Muscle-Focused Metabolic Approach Shows Promising Early Results
Rather than affecting hunger, the experimental medication stimulates metabolic activity within skeletal muscle. In animal studies, the approach improved blood sugar control and body composition without common GLP-1 side effects like reduced appetite, muscle loss, or digestive issues.
Another key difference is its route of administration: the treatment is taken orally as a tablet rather than being injected.
The researchers also carried out an early Phase I clinical trial that included 48 healthy participants and 25 individuals with type 2 diabetes. The study reported that participants generally tolerated the treatment well.
“Our findings suggest it may improve metabolic health while preserving muscle mass,” said Tore Bengtsson. He added that muscle plays an important role in type 2 diabetes and obesity, and preserving it is linked to longer life expectancy.
Engineered β2 Agonist Supports Muscle, Limits Heart Effects
The drug is based on a lab-designed compound known as a β2 agonist. Scientists modified it so it activates key cellular signaling pathways in a way that supports muscle tissue while avoiding excessive stimulation of the heart—an issue that has long restricted the medical use of β2 agonists.
“This is a new class of therapy that could be highly significant for type 2 diabetes and obesity,” said Shane C. Wright. Wright of Karolinska Institutet. He said the compound may support healthy weight loss and, unlike many current treatments, comes as a pill rather than an injection.
Because this new therapy acts through a different mechanism than GLP-1 drugs, researchers suggest it may be effective both as a standalone option and in combination with existing treatments.
“This makes them valuable both as a stand-alone treatment and in combination with GLP-1 drugs,” said Shane C. Wright.
Phase II Trial to Test Drug in Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity
Atrogi AB will next lead a Phase II trial to test whether earlier benefits can be replicated in people with type 2 diabetes or obesity.
Researchers from Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm University, Uppsala University, the University of Copenhagen, Monash University, and the University of Queensland carried out the study.
Funding came from the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Society for Medical Research, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
Several authors work for or hold shares in Atrogi AB, which also funded the trial. Tore Bengtsson, the company’s founder and CSO, and a co-author have filed patent applications on the compounds studied. Further details on affiliations and potential conflicts of interest are provided in the published paper.
Read the original article on: sciencedaily
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