Is it possible that achieving your ideal weight could be as simple as taking a pill? While it might sound like a dream, researchers at the University of Florida argue that modern science may be closer to achieving this fitness breakthrough than we think. The scientists claim they've developed a novel compound that hellps in weight loss by simulating the effects of exercise.
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After being administered to a group of obese mice, this compound facilitated weight loss by essentially tricking their muscles into perceiving increased physical activity, thus accelerating their metabolisms. Remarkably, it also enhanced endurance, enabling the mice to run nearly 50% farther than their previous limits, all without engaging in real exercise.
In their study, the authors clarify that the newly discovered compound is classified as an "exercise mimetic," designed to replicate some exercise benefits without requiring physical effort. Although this drug is still in its early developmental stages, researchers see it as having potential use in treating diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and age-related muscle degeneration.
This newest compound, called SLU-PP-332, is thought not to have any effect on appetite or food consumption. Instead, this drug operates by enhancing a natural metabolic process in the body that typically reacts to physical activity. In simpler terms, researchers compare this newly created compound to a medication that encourages the body to behave as though it's undergoing marathon training, resulting in greater energy expenditure and accelerated fat metabolism throughout the entire body.
“This compound is basically telling skeletal muscle to make the same changes you see during endurance training,” says Thomas Burris, a professor of pharmacy at UF who led the recent research into the new drug, in a media release. “When you treat mice with the drug, you can see that their whole body metabolism turns to using fatty acids, which is very similar to what people use when they are fasting or exercising,” Burris adds. “And the animals start losing weight.”
The new drug specifically targets a set of proteins called ERRs in the human body. These proteins play a vital role in triggering key metabolic pathways in energy-demanding tissues such as muscles, the heart, and the brain. While ERRs are typically more active during physical exercise, stimulating them with pharmaceuticals has been a challenging endeavor.
The researchers revealed in another study published in March that they had successfully engineered SLU-PP-332 to increase ERR activity. Furthermore, they noted that this compound enabled mice of regular weight to increase their running endurance by 70% and cover 45% more distance compared to mice without the drug.
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In their most recent study, the researchers administered the drug to overweight mice. After giving the medicine to these obese mice twice daily for one month, they gained 10 times less fat than untreated mice and lost 12% of their body weight. Intriguingly, the mice continued to consume the same amount of food and displayed no increase in exercise.
In a separate study that the Burris lab is preparing to release, they've observed indications suggesting that the compound could potentially address heart failure in mice by bolstering cardiac muscles.
To date, there have been no reports of significant adverse reactions associated with the drug. The subsequent stage in transforming SLU-PP-332 into a viable drug candidate involves refining its chemical structure, with the ultimate goal of creating an oral pill formulation. Subsequently, the drug will undergo further testing for potential side effects in additional animal models before progressing to human trials.
Although several exercise mimetics have undergone testing, none have successfully reached the market, primarily due to the lengthy drug development process. Historically, addressing obesity with medication has proven challenging, given its multifaceted nature. However, a turning point happened when drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, originally designed for diabetes treatment, unexpectedly induced weight loss. This surprising result spurred a fresh surge of interest, research, and investment in pharmaceutical therapies that address metabolic problems via different biological pathways.
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According to Burris, the new drug's greatest potential may be in retaining muscle mass during weight loss, which commonly threatens lean muscle mass, or during age, when the body naturally responds less strongly to exercise. However, further research is needed to fully comprehend the drug's potential.
The study is published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
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