A new pill could help tackle diabetes and obesity without some of the drawbacks associated with GLP-1 medications. According to trial results, the drug may lower blood sugar levels and boost fat burning without suppressing appetite or causing muscle loss — two significant concerns linked to certain existing weight loss treatments.
Study Findings
The findings, published in the journal Cell, come from researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University. Unlike widely-used GLP-1 medications such as Wegovy, which are delivered via injection and work by influencing appetite signals between the gut and brain, the new treatment — known as GRK-biased adrenergic agonists — works through an entirely different mechanism.
Rather than targeting hunger, the drug stimulates metabolism directly within skeletal muscle. Researchers say this approach improved blood sugar control and body composition in animal studies, while avoiding several side effects commonly associated with GLP-1 therapies, including appetite suppression, muscle wastage, and digestive issues.
Clinical Trials
As reported by Science Daily, the research team also conducted an initial Phase I clinical trial involving 48 healthy volunteers and 25 people with type 2 diabetes. According to the study, participants tolerated the treatment well.
Tore Bengtsson, professor at the Department of Molecular Bioscience at the Wenner-Gren Institute at Stockholm University, said: "Our results point to a future where we can improve metabolic health without losing muscle mass. Muscles are important in both type 2 diabetes and obesity, and muscle mass is also directly correlated with life expectancy."
How It Works
The medication is built upon a laboratory-developed molecule known as a β2 agonist. Researchers engineered the compound to activate vital signalling pathways in an innovative manner that supports muscle tissue without excessively stimulating the heart, an obstacle that has previously limited the application of β2 agonists.
Shane C Wright, assistant professor at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Karolinska Institutet, added: "This drug represents a completely new type of treatment and has the potential to be of great importance for patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity. Our substance appears to promote healthy weight loss and, in addition, patients do not have to take injections."
Potential Advantages
As the new treatment operates differently from GLP-1 medications, scientists believe it could prove advantageous both on its own and alongside existing therapies. "This makes them valuable both as a stand-alone treatment and in combination with GLP-1 drugs," Wright said. Atrogi AB, the firm behind the medication, will now spearhead a larger Phase II clinical trial as the next development stage.
Scientists are optimistic that the encouraging outcomes observed in preclinical studies can be effectively replicated in patients with type 2 diabetes or obesity.
Comparison with Existing Treatments
This tablet differs from the one recently authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the UK. That pill contains semaglutide, identical to approved weight loss injections, making it a GLP-1 receptor agonist.
Recognised side effects of GLP-1s include fatigue or dizziness, hair loss and low blood sugar, which can impact around one in 10 people. A less common but more severe side effect can include acute pancreatitis, which can trigger abdominal pain, a high temperature, nausea, and vomiting.
You should ring 111 if you suspect you are experiencing this. If you have concerns about your weight, you should consult your GP.
Common Side Effects of Wegovy
The most common side effects of Wegovy, according to its website, can include: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach (abdomen) pain, changes in skin sensations, headache, tiredness (fatigue), upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, stomach flu, heartburn, and hair loss.
Eli Lilly, owner of Mounjaro, says there are side-effects to be aware of. The most common side effects, its website says, include nausea, diarrhea, decreased appetite, vomiting, constipation, indigestion, and stomach (abdominal) pain. These are not all the possible side effects of Mounjaro.
