They discover a new weight loss drug that burns energy and reduces appetite without nausea or vomiting.

In the race to find even more effective weight loss drugs with fewer side effects, scientists from the University of Copenhagen have described a powerful new drug candidate that reduces appetite without muscle loss or side effects such as nausea and vomiting. And, unlike the current generation of treatments, it also increases the body’s ability to burn calories. The results of the study were published in the journal Nature.

“Although GLP-1-based therapies have revolutionized the treatment of patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, safe energy management and nausea-free appetite control remain the two Holy Grails in this field. We believe that by addressing these needs, our discovery will advance current approaches to make more tolerable and effective treatments available to millions of people,” said Associate Professor Zach Gerhart-Hines from the Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR). NNF Foundation at the University. Copenhagen.

Our weight is largely determined by the balance between the calories we consume and those we expend. Eating more and burning less creates a positive energy balance, which leads to weight gain, while eating less and spending more creates a negative energy balance, which leads to weight loss.

The current generation of incretin-based therapies tips the balance toward negative energy balance by reducing a person’s appetite and overall caloric intake. But scientists have also recognized the potential for the opposite: increasing the number of calories the body burns. This approach is especially relevant given recent research that has shown that our bodies burn fewer calories at rest than they did several decades ago. However, there are currently no clinically approved ways to safely increase energy expenditure, and only a few options are under development.

This was the starting point when scientists at the University of Copenhagen decided to test the effect activation of neurokinin 2 receptor (NK2R) in mice. Gerhart-Hines’ team identified the receptor through genetic testing, which showed that NK2R plays a role in maintaining energy balance and controlling glucose levels. They were amazed by the research results: activating the receptor not only safely increased calorie burning, but also reduced appetite without any signs of nausea.

Subsequent studies in primates with type 2 diabetes and obesity showed that NK2R activation reduced body weight and reversed diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity and reducing blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol.

“One of the biggest obstacles in drug development is translation between mice and humans. “That’s why we were encouraged that the benefits of NK2R agonism were extended to diabetic and obese primates, representing a big step towards clinical translation,” says PhD student Frederika Sass, CBMR, University of Copenhagen and first author of the study. .

The discovery may lead to next generation of drug therapy

with more effective and tolerable treatments for the nearly 400 million people worldwide living with type 2 diabetes and obesity.

The patent rights for the NK2R attack belong to the University of Copenhagen. To date, the Gerhart-Hines laboratory’s research has led to the creation of three biotechnology companies: Embark Biotech, Embark Laboratories and Incipiam Pharma. In 2023, Novo Nordisk, which already markets Ozempic and Wegovy, acquired Embark Biotech to develop next-generation treatments for cardiometabolic diseases.