Obesity is a significant global health concern, with rates steadily increasing in both children and adults. The percentage of young people living with obesity has risen from 2% to 8% worldwide from 1990 to 2022. Scientists have recently developed an injectible nanogel that has shown significant weight loss results in laboratory mice. This revolutionary weight loss drug holds promise for addressing obesity without unwanted side effects.
The Revolutionary Weight Loss Drug Nanogel
The Center for Bioactive Delivery aimed to develop new ways to deliver drugs to specific organs in the body. One such innovation is the nanogel delivery system created by biomedical engineer S. Thai Thayumanavan. This nanogel carrier delivers a drug directly to the livers of obese mice, leading to weight loss without adverse effects.
Read More: 8 Signs You’re Suffering From Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
How These Findings Can Help Humans
With 100 million Americans suffering from obesity, the need for effective treatments is critical. Cyta Therapeutics, a company at UMass Institute for Applied Life Sciences, is working to translate the success of the nanogel system in mice to human applications. While further research is necessary, the potential for an approved human drug is promising.
How the New Weight Loss Drug Works
The nanogel system delivers a thyromimetic drug directly to the livers of mice, activating lipid-lowering processes without causing systemic side effects. Targeted therapy is crucial for effectiveness without adverse reactions.
The Weight Loss Study
Mice treated with the nanogel weight-loss drug saw impressive results, returning to their initial weight despite a high-fat diet. The drug’s activation of metabolic and lipid-lowering processes led to significant weight loss and improved cholesterol levels.
Read More: What Is Frontotemporal Dementia?
Results of the Weight Loss Study
The nanogel weight loss drug effectively reduced weight and cholesterol levels in mice, activating key processes for fat oxidation and lipid-lowering. Further studies are needed to validate these findings in humans and develop treatments for liver diseases.
The Bottom Line
This breakthrough in weight loss drug delivery offers hope for individuals struggling with obesity. The nanogel system shows promise in effectively targeting liver functions to reduce weight and cholesterol without common side effects. While further research is necessary for human applications, this innovation could revolutionize obesity treatment worldwide.
Read More: 8 Reasons For Dark Circles Under The Eyes That Have Nothing to Do With Lack of Sleep
Sources
- “Obesity.” WHO
- “Adult Obesity Facts.” CDC. May 14, 2024.
- “Conferring liver selectivity to a thyromimetic using a novel nanoparticle increases therapeutic efficacy in a diet-induced obesity animal model.” Oxford Academic. Ruiling Wu, et al.
- “Obesity.” WHO
