Breakthrough Obesity Pill Tricks Fat Cells Into Burning Calories

There have been significant advances in weight loss medications over the past few years, revolutionizing treatment for patients struggling to shed pounds. Injectable GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have taken much of the limelight, despite some of their potential side effects, availability issues, and high cost. But it might not be long before a new option becomes available for anyone on a weight loss journey, thanks to a breakthrough obesity pill that scientists say works in an entirely different way.

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Researchers say the SANA molecule can burn fat cells.

In a June 23 press release, the Institut Pasteur de Montevideo and the University of the Republic (Udelar) announced that Uruguayan pharmaceutical company Eolo Pharma saw success in a Phase I trial of its recently developed SANA molecule.

The experiment, which was published last month in the journal Nature Metabolism, enlisted 44 human participants who were either at a healthy weight, lean weight, or clinically obese. Results showed that those taking a high dose of the compound (which was 200 mg per day) lost 3 percent of their body weight in just 15 days without any noticeable muscle loss compared to a placebo group.

The same high-dose group also saw improvements in glucose and insulin resistance—all without any appetite changes or serious side effects, even among the highest-dosage group of 800 mg per day.

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What’s the difference between GLP-1 medications and SANA?

There’s a stark difference between SANA and GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.

The existing medications—some of which are intended for the management of type 2 diabetes and prescribed off-label for weight loss—work by mimicking a naturally occurring hormone that regulates appetite, digestion, and blood sugar levels, per the Cleveland Clinic.

By slowing the emptying of the stomach and reducing the amount of glucose released into the bloodstream, the injectable drugs can help patients eat less, eventually leading to weight loss.

On the other hand, SANA works by kickstarting metabolism on a cellular level. Essentially, it causes fat cells to burn calories while at rest in the same way they would during physical exercise. Notably, this helps to preserve lean muscle mass without affecting appetite and improving blood sugar control.

The recently published research was built on findings from a previous study performed on mice. In it, researchers found that the compound stimulated energy burning in white fat cells as opposed to the brown fat cells that typically metabolize during exercise, New Atlas reports.

Essentially, SANA ramps up creatine-fueled metabolism by reconfiguring a protein called L-arginine: glycine amidinotransferase (AGAT), which also allows a single dose to have a longer-lasting effect. The researchers conducting the latest study say this could have significant implications for future treatments.

“This result opens a completely new therapeutic pathway for obesity and metabolic disorders—one that complements GLP-1 therapies but focuses on enhancing the body’s energy-burning capacity rather than just suppressing appetite,” Carlos Escande, PhD, researcher at IP Montevideo and a member of Eolo Pharma, said of the Phase I human study findings in the press release.

RELATED: New Weight-Loss Drug Has Patients Shedding Fat Without Losing Muscle.

Further human trials are expected soon.

Despite the positive results, there are still potential risks of using SANA. This includes unintended immune system responses that could see the altered proteins as invaders, according to New Atlas.

However, the researchers say they are hoping to start a larger Phase II clinical human trial before the end of the year that will include more participants, including those with type 2 diabetes.

“What’s exciting about this study is the transition from preclinical analysis to real-world clinical application,” the Nature Metabolism editorial team wrote in a research briefing accompanying the study. They added that the groundbreaking result “justifies further clinical trials to assess its use as a treatment for obesity.”

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The takeaway:

A recent study conducted on humans showed promising results for a new weight loss compound known as SANA. The molecule works by kickstarting white fat cells into burning calories even while at rest by altering a specific protein.

Results of the published study showed that a group taking a high dose of 200 mg per day saw a 3 percent reduction in body fat without losing lean muscle mass in the process. And unlike GLP-1 agonist drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic, it does not affect appetite, nor were there any negative side effects reported in even the group taking the largest dose of 800 mg per day.

Further clinical studies are expected to kick off later this year.

“This work has been a constant challenge, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see that the human trial results follow the same trend we observed in our lab models,” Karina Cal, lead author of the study and researcher at IP Montevideo, said in a press release.