Revolutionizing Weight Loss: From Pills to Protein Factories
For those seeking to shed pounds and better manage their blood sugar, the future might hold the possibility of transforming cells into microscopic protein producers. This protein is, in essence, the main component in many weight loss medications.
Biotech Innovators Lead The Charge
Two trailblazing biotech startups are at the forefront of this innovative approach. Their preliminary experiments on mice have shown promising results, and they've now progressed to testing on larger animals such as pigs and monkeys. The ultimate goal is to develop gene therapies that are safe and effective for human patients, but it could take years to validate these innovative therapies fully.
Current GLP-1 medications, administered via injection or tablets, have demonstrated their effectiveness in promoting weight loss, marking a significant shift in obesity treatment. GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1, is a naturally occurring hormone that tells the brain and gut when it's time to stop eating. New weight loss drugs that mimic this hormone not only reduce appetite but also help to control blood sugar levels and make people feel satiated longer.
The percentage of American adults using these medications for weight loss has nearly doubled in under two years. This increase in usage may be contributing to the recent decline in the national obesity rate. However, these medications are not without drawbacks. They can be costly, and many users report experiencing side effects such as nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. In addition, to maintain their weight loss, users usually have to continue taking these drugs indefinitely, which is not a popular prospect. Recent studies have shown that almost two-thirds of people without diabetes who started on GLP-1 drugs stopped within a year.
The Next Wave Of Research
The next phase of research is focusing on maximizing the benefits of GLP-1s while minimizing their downsides. One company has developed a gene therapy called Rejuva, which has shown encouraging results in mice trials. The therapy works by turning muscle cells into GLP-1 factories. The cells are injected with a saline solution containing DNA instructions to produce a GLP-1 receptor agonist protein. This protein is similar to the active ingredient in many weight loss drugs.
After injection, the DNA migrates to the nucleus of the cells, where it is translated alongside the cell's own DNA. As a result, the cell produces the GLP-1 receptor agonist protein and releases it into the body. This approach does not interfere with the body's own DNA and does not pass on to the next generation. The company plans to use this platform to develop similar protein therapies, such as antibodies to the Zika virus.
In the most successful trials, mice injected with the DNA lost about 15% of their body weight, significantly more than the placebo group. The weight loss was maintained for at least a year after the DNA injection. This therapy has also been tested on monkeys, with promising results.
Alternative Approaches
Another company is taking a slightly different approach by using a more traditional gene therapy technique. They employ a small virus to deliver DNA into cells, instructing them to produce GLP-1. This approach could potentially result in a single treatment that never needs to be repeated. However, the use of viruses to deliver genes can sometimes trigger an immune response, leading to inflammation, allergic reactions, or organ damage. Despite these risks, the company has filed regulatory paperwork in Europe to begin human trials.
Gene therapy can be risky, but the company is working to minimize those risks by designing their DNA to recognize the promoter sequence for insulin. This means only insulin-producing cells will also produce GLP-1, thereby limiting the dose delivered to the body. It also provides a way to adjust the amount of extra GLP-1 produced. If a person consumes a high-fat, high-calorie meal, their body will produce more insulin and consequently more GLP-1 to prevent weight gain. Conversely, if a person consumes a moderate meal, they will not produce as much GLP-1, preventing unnecessary weight loss.
In mice, the results have been encouraging; obese mice treated with this gene therapy lost about 20% of their body weight within three weeks. Furthermore, when the therapy was given to lean mice on a normal diet, they did not lose excessive amounts of weight or develop dangerously low blood sugar levels, suggesting it might be safe for preventing as well as treating obesity.
With these advancements in gene therapy, it may someday be possible to identify individuals at risk of obesity due to family history or other factors and provide them with the therapy as a preventative measure. However, there is still a long way to go before this vision becomes a reality.