New weight loss jab could 'target belly fat' as well as drop number on the scale

New weight loss jab could 'target belly fat' as well as drop number on the scale Research has shown the jab could cut fat around the internal organs and in the liver A NEW weight-loss injection could do more than help people shed pounds, - it may also reduce fat stored around internal organs and in the liver. Trials of survodutide, an investigational once-weekly injection, has produced promising results including reductions in visceral fat of up to 34% and liver fat of up to 63.1% in a body-composition analysis. The findings are attracting interest because these types of fat are linked to metabolic health problems - meaning the potential benefits of future weight-loss treatments may extend beyond the number on the scales. The drug works differently from established weight-loss injections such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, activating both glucagon and GLP-1 receptors to influence appetite and metabolic processes. In the Phase III SYNCHRONIZE-1 trial, participants with obesity but without type 2 diabetes lost up to 16.6% of their body weight over 76 weeks in the highest-dose group. A separate body-composition analysis found reductions of up to 34% in visceral fat and 63.1% in liver fat. Visceral fat is stored around internal organs and is associated with metabolic health risks. Excess liver fat is linked to conditions including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Ruaraidh Buckenham, Senior Governance Pharmacist at Simple Online Pharmacy, said the findings raise interesting questions about the next generation of weight-loss treatments. He said: “The Phase III data on survodutide are certainly interesting because they suggest the drug may do more than simply reduce the number on the scales. “The findings around visceral and liver fat are particularly important because these are forms of fat that are closely linked to metabolic health. However, it is important to remember that survodutide is still an investigational medicine and has not been approved for use. "These are strong Phase III results, but they are not a reason for people to assume that this will necessarily be the next treatment available to them.” Scientists have also warned the analysis involved a relatively small group of trial participants. How is survodutide different from Mounjaro and Wegovy? Wegovy contains semaglutide, which activates the GLP-1 receptor, while Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, which acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Survodutide takes a different approach by combining glucagon receptor and GLP-1 receptor activity. Researchers hope that activating these two pathways could help reduce weight while also influencing energy expenditure, appetite and fat metabolism. The research has also examined the drug in people living with obesity and type 2 diabetes. In a separate Phase III trial, participants lost up to 13.1% of their body weight after 76 weeks, compared with 3.1% taking a placebo. The results of that trial were published in The New England Journal of Medicine on October 1. However, side effects remain an important consideration. In the Phase III trial involving people with type 2 diabetes, 18% of participants taking survodutide discontinued treatment because of gastrointestinal adverse events, compared with 1.2% in the placebo group. Ruaraidh said: “As with other medicines in this area, tolerability is an important part of the picture. The headline weight-loss figure is only one measure of whether a treatment is useful in the real world. “We need to look at the full data, including side effects, trial length - in this case a full 76 weeks -, who the treatment is suitable for, how many people are able to stay on treatment and whether the improvements in metabolic health translate into meaningful long-term health benefits.” He also warned that survodutide has not yet been approved for use as a weight-loss treatment. People currently taking weight-loss medication should not change or stop their treatment because of these findings.