New obesity drug: Single dose lowered weight and glucose levels for 70 days

Scientists are pioneering a novel approach to combat obesity and diabetes, aiming to transform the human body into a continuous factory for therapeutic hormones. This innovative method, developed at the Wistar Institute, utilizes a DNA injection that instructs cells to produce incretin hormones like GLP-1 and GIP over extended periods.

Current treatments for obesity and diabetes, which mimic natural incretin hormones, break down rapidly in the body. This necessitates frequent injections or daily pills, often leading to challenges with long-term patient compliance and subsequent weight regain or fluctuating blood glucose levels. The new DNA-based platform offers a potential solution by delivering genetic instructions directly into cells via an electrical pulse, enabling sustained antibody production, as demonstrated in previous COVID-19 research.

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Our goal is a simple solution: we want to give one shot and have it work for a really long time.

Researchers adapted this technology for metabolic diseases by designing DNA instructions for GLP-1 and GIP hormones, incorporating a protective element against rapid degradation. In studies involving mice, a single dose of this preparation successfully lowered body weight and blood glucose levels for up to 70 days, a significant improvement over existing therapies. Unlike semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, where mice quickly regained weight after treatment cessation, the new method provided lasting effects.

Further enhancing the approach, scientists used artificial intelligence and structural modeling to create a new molecule named pSynCretin. This molecule combines structural elements from GLP-1, GIP, and existing incretin drugs, allowing it to bind to both GLP-1 and GIP receptors simultaneously, similar to how Mounjaro functions. A single dose of this engineered molecule also induced sustained weight loss in mice. Researchers are now exploring the broader medical applications of this DNA platform, including its potential impact on cancer treatment outcomes.

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Instead of delivering a drug that gets cleared from the body, we provide cells with instructions on how to make it themselves, and they do it nonstop.