Experimental Drug Shows Significant Weight Loss in Early Trial

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Study Claims Up to 24% Weight Reduction in 36 Weeks with Experimental Drug

By TRH News Desk

NEW DELHI, June 21, 2025 — A novel experimental obesity drug, Amycretin, has shown promising results in a recent early-stage clinical trial, offering substantial weight loss benefits for people with overweight or obesity. The findings, published in The Lancet, come from a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 1b/2a study conducted at a single clinical site in San Antonio, Texas.

Amycretin: A Dual-Action Hormonal Agonist

Amycretin is a first-in-class, single-molecule agonist that targets both GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) and amylin receptors—two hormones known to regulate appetite and glucose metabolism. The drug was administered via once-weekly subcutaneous injections over a period of up to 36 weeks.

Trial Design and Key Findings

The study enrolled 125 adult participants aged 18–55 with a BMI ranging between 27.0 and 39.9 kg/m². Participants were randomly assigned to receive various escalating doses of amycretin (n=101) or placebo (n=24). The primary goal was to assess safety and tolerability, with weight loss measured as a secondary endpoint.

Across different dose groups, participants receiving amycretin experienced significantly greater reductions in body weight compared to the placebo group:

60 mg dose (Part B): Average weight loss of 24.3% at 36 weeks (vs 1.1% for placebo)
20 mg dose (Part C): 22.0% reduction (vs 1.9% for placebo)
5 mg dose (Part D): 16.2% reduction at 28 weeks (vs 2.3%)
1.25 mg dose (Part E): 9.7% reduction at 20 weeks (vs 2.0%)

These results, particularly at higher doses, position Amycretin as a potential rival to existing GLP-1-based weight loss therapies such as semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound).

Side Effects and Tolerability

Gastrointestinal symptoms were the most common side effects, including nausea and vomiting, which were generally mild to moderate and resolved during the trial period. Importantly, the rate and nature of side effects were comparable to other drugs in the GLP-1 class.

While there was a relatively high dropout rate, the study notes that many discontinuations were due to reasons unrelated to the drug’s adverse effects.

Next Steps and Outlook

Researchers emphasized that the trial results support further clinical development of amycretin, particularly given its dual hormonal mechanism and the scale of weight loss observed—even at lower doses.

“Amycretin’s ability to produce substantial weight loss over a sustained period, while maintaining a tolerable safety profile, opens a promising path for future obesity treatment,” the study authors noted.

The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06064006), and larger Phase 3 trials will be critical to confirm efficacy, long-term safety, and potential regulatory approval.

With obesity rates rising globally, the success of amycretin could mark a major advancement in the treatment arsenal for weight management and metabolic disorders.

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