a About two years ago, there were a lot of whispers about a new drug. Ozempic was quickly considered a “miracle” drug, but few could have predicted how quickly and how profoundly it would revolutionize the weight loss industry. In Hollywood, it has become a coveted accessory, and for others, an injectable tool to master the coveted “before and after” in record time. .
Since then, the “Ozempik era” has already gone through countless iterations — alarmism, celebrity denial (soon followed by countless celebrity admissions, including Oprah), and an apparent baby boom. , concerns about side effects (not for the faint of heart: particularly nausea, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea), and “boomerang” weight gain effects when users stop taking the drug.
The latter remains largely unchanged. The popularity of Ozempic and other GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Wegovy and Mounjaro continues to soar. In fact, we are in the midst of a global shortage. As originally intended, people prescribed semaglutide to treat type 2 diabetes are now facing supply issues due to a surge in “off-label” prescriptions for weight loss.
An “Ozempic crackdown” on people lying about their BMI in order to gain access to it is currently underway, and has already set jaw-dropping prices. In the UK it costs around £200 a month. In the US, it has risen to around $1,000 (£824) and is on the rise.
But our obsession isn’t over yet. In fact, a new era is already on the horizon. Ozempic, Libersus, an oral formulation developed by Novo Nordisk, which makes both Ozempic and Wigovy, is already available in the US and UK, but is currently a prescription-only drug for adults with type 2 diabetes.
They acknowledged in a statement that “clinical trials of oral semaglutide in weight management have been completed, but we are unable to share a regulatory approval timeline at this stage.” In 2023, Pfizer conducts clinical trials We used orforglipron, another oral compound that belongs to the same class of drugs as semaglutide. Eli LillyManufacturer of Mounjaro.
As these developments continue to simmer behind the scenes, new markets are rapidly expanding. Late last year saw an onslaught of “natural” alternatives from countless wellness brands claiming that GLP-1 agonists can increase targeted hunger-regulating hormones without the need for injectables. .
Kind Patches’ GLP-1 patch, priced at £12 for a 30-day supply and said to “prolong fullness, stabilize blood sugar levels and suppress appetite”, is sold out. Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s wellness brand Lemme launched a similar product in September. A year earlier, Halle Berry took on the role of chief communications officer (as well as an equity owner) at Pendulum Therapeutics, a biotechnology company that sells probiotics that boost GLP-1.
But other startups are doing things a little differently. US-based Metabolize claims its metabolite-driven products have the potential to “redefine the weight loss landscape”. This supplement is taken orally and essentially mimics the proven benefits of the keto diet. Based on animal studies already conducted, the company believes that 10-20% weight loss is possible with regular use of its product.
“A few years ago, an article was published. nature “It’s about an exercise drug based on a molecule called phenylalanine lactate,” Dr. Morris Laster, a physician by trade who founded the company, told me over Zoom. The paper, written by Dr. Jonathan Long, an associate professor of pathology at Stanford University, shows that when this molecule is targeted and increased, it suppresses appetite, reduces obesity, and improves blood sugar regulation. showed.
“I called him,” Luster continues. “And he said, ‘Look, this molecule is great. But there’s one big problem with it: You can’t take it orally, you have to inject it.'” A month later, he showed me the results of what we now call the ketone phenylalanine. What he discovered was that the ketone phenylalanine and lactate phenylalanine are produced by the same enzyme, BHB-phenylalanine. All of these are increased by intense exercise, intermittent fasting, and a ketogenic diet. Their mechanism of action is very similar, as they attack the same receptors in the brain responsible for long-term appetite suppression. A direct correlation has been found between phenylalanine lactate in the blood and weight loss. And the benefit of the ketone phenylalanine is that it can be taken orally. ”
Essentially, they claim that their product regulates appetite through a unique brain-based neural pathway that is safe, cheap, and crucially free of side effects, the first of its kind. It is claimed to be a metabolite-driven therapy.
“Ozempic, GLP-1, they all work great for weight loss, but they have a lot of side effects that go beyond their huge cost,” Luster explains. “More than 80 percent of those taking it stop taking it within a year, and 30 percent stop taking it within the first month. I have panic issues with possible thyroid cancer, and frequent nausea. You may experience vomiting or diarrhea.
“Additionally, I think one of the big problems is that people don’t realize that the GLP-1 molecule itself is located in the pleasure center of the brain. This suppresses the release of dopamine in your body, and unless you make major changes to your diet and lifestyle, the weight will return to normal once you stop taking the drug.
Metabolize claims to act as an alternative to “biohacking” metabolic systems or as a “lamp” for people worried about GLP-1 agonist withdrawal. Although the effects are not as immediate or dramatic, it can be a softer, more effective way to manage weight in the long term.
The company is currently metabolize Although approved as a food ingredient, the company hopes to license the product to food companies by next year to formulate it into “protein bars, snacks” and dietary supplements.
Perhaps it sounds too good to be true, but only time will tell. But I can see why there is a race to find alternatives to Ozempic and combination drugs like Metabolize. Just recently, a new report revealed that an estimated 3.4 million Brits meet the criteria to receive a prescription for Wigoby and Munjaro. That prescription costs £10 billion a year. . It could potentially bankrupt the NHS.
This is a rapidly evolving market. Novo Nordisk predicts that the next developments across the industry are likely to “close the gap” between weight loss through drugs rather than risky surgical procedures. Other potential obesity treatments target the enteropancreatic hormones that are released when we actually eat. The science is difficult, but the implications for medicine could be tremendous. It seems like the weight loss revolution is just beginning.
