Last April, Stanford Medicine scientists reported that roughly 1 in 10 people has genetic variants that make GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic, less effective at regulating blood sugar. The phenomenon is called GLP-1 resistance, and is a major problem in treating diabetes. However, people who use the drug also have a different problem— muscle loss. A newly developed pill offers a different approach to treating type 2 diabetes and obesity. While GLP-1 drugs reduce hunger and appetite, this new drug increases muscular metabolism to burn fat.
How can the New Pill Outshine Ozempic
While many celebs speak of Ozempic, a few also complain about reduced muscle strength. Supermodel Brooks Nader said that she lost her motivation and strength to work out, and when she competed on the show Dancing with the Stars, she stopped taking Ozempic. This is quite natural, as Ozempic slows down stomach emptying and makes you feel fuller. Once less hungry, chances are that the proper calorie and protein intake drops, eventually leading to muscle loss.
Instead, this new drug activates metabolism inside skeletal muscles, much like how our body reacts to high-intensity workouts like HIIT to generate an ‘afterburn’. Researchers say that this approach improved blood sugar regulation and helped maintain body composition in animal studies, steering clear of the side effects of GLP-1 therapies.
β2 Agonist Boosts Muscle Metabolism
The drug is built around a lab-developed molecule called a β2 agonist, which has been engineered to activate signaling pathways that can boost muscle metabolism and tissue without excessively stimulating the heart or the cardiac muscles. The original β2 agonist, which is an anabolic steroid, has historically challenged efforts because it strained the heart and caused palpitations. In fact, it is even banned in sports for its performance-enhancing effects.
Another feature of the drug is its compatibility with GLP-1 mediators. Researchers believe that the novel drug can be used as a stand-alone drug as well as in combination with GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic.
Human Trial is a Success
So far, researchers have conducted an initial Phase I clinical trial involving 48 healthy participants and 25 people with type 2 diabetes. The treatment has been well tolerated by the cohort. Muscle is important in both type 2 diabetes and obesity, and muscle mass plays a vital role in determining life expectancy.
“This drug represents a completely new type of treatment and has the potential to be of great importance for patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity. Our substance appears to promote healthy weight loss and, in addition, patients do not have to take injections,” says Shane C. Wright, assistant professor at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Karolinska Institutet, who is one of the researchers behind the study.
The next step will be to conduct a larger Phase II clinical trial led by Atrogi AB, the company developing the drug. Researchers hope to conclude whether the benefits observed in pre-clinical studies can be applied to people living with type 2 diabetes or obesity.
End of Road for GLP-1 Agonists?
While it is possible that this new drug could overtake Wegovy (for weight loss) and Ozempic in the long run if trials are successful, it is a stretch to say these new drugs can outdo GLP-1 drugs in the near future.
However, using drugs to lose weight has its fair share of divided opinions. The US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said, “They’re counting on selling it to Americans because we’re so stupid and so addicted to drugs,” in an appearance with Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld. On the other hand, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Administrator of the CMS, which provides insurance and medical billing services in the US, supported covering the costs of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss.
While GLP-1 drugs are covered by insurance for type 2 diabetes, coverage for weight loss has recently begun. Medicare Part D will launch coverage for this drug under CMS’s BALANCE Model from July 1st, 2026, with the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge. In fact, GLP-1 drugs might soon be a game-changer for people who need to lose weight but have a hard time affording them.
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If you like this story on an Ozempic alternative, you can read about another alternative developed by Stanford scientists here
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