How long people will have to wait for new 4-in-1 weight loss drug that 'combines Mounjaro and Ozempic effects'
A new weight loss drug that 'combines Mounjaro and Ozempic effects' is being developed by scientists.
Weight loss jabs have become increasingly popular in recent years, helping an estimated 1.5 million people in the UK shed the pounds.
Now, a team of researchers at Tufts University in Massachusetts are working on creating a 'quadruple-action' drug, which has been dubbed a 'four-in-one'.
The drug would target four hormone receptors and could result in weight loss of up to 30 percent which puts it on par with bariatric surgery - this includes procedures such as gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and gastric banding.
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It would essentially be a game changer for patients, as it would avoid invasive surgeries.
How does it work?
Well, you might know that Wegovy and Ozempic (which is not prescribed for weight loss but for patients with type 2 diabetes) target the GLP-1 receptor, which helps communicate to your body that you're full.
Mounjaro also targets the GIP receptor, while another drug, called Retatrutide, targets glucagon, which increases your blood glucose but also raises energy use in your body and suppresses your appetite.
Now, a new drug would try and target a fourth receptor, known as peptide YY. This would essentially make the drug an alternative to bariatric surgery.
Study lead author Tristan Dinsmore said targeting peptide YY could also help burn off fat directly instead of doing it by suppressing appetite.
Explaining how this works, he said: "There is one more hormone we wanted to bring in to complete a weight control quartet. It's called peptide YY. This molecule is also secreted by the gut after we eat a meal, and its job is to reduce appetite and slow the process of emptying food from the stomach, but via different mechanisms than either GLP-1 or GIP.
"It may also be involved in directly 'burning off' fat."
When will the new drug be released?
The new drug is yet to be trialled in studies, which means it will likely be a number of years before it can actually be rolled out to the public.
Typically, this can last for several years before the drug is available.
In one study in The Lancet, the median development time from the first human study to authorisation was 7.3 years.
The study explained: "However, there was considerable variability, with the fastest project taking only 8 months and the slowest extending to 223 months.
"The analysis revealed that vaccines and drugs against COVID-19 had the shortest development timelines, followed by interventions against Ebola virus disease and Hepatitis A-E. Interestingly, no significant differences in development times were observed between vaccines and drugs."
Lucy Devine