New obesity drug boosts GLP-1 weight loss without added side effects
By Paul McClure
October 12, 2025
A new class of weight-loss drug has shown it can significantly boost weight loss when paired with GLP-1 therapy – without adding side effects – in a mid-stage clinical trial, pointing to a powerful new combination approach to tackling obesity.
GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like semaglutide have taken the world by storm, but some studies have raised concerns about side effects, including kidney injury and skeletal muscle wastage. They’re also known to cause gastrointestinal side effects.
Nimacimab, a new type of anti-obesity drug with a different mode of action – it targets the body’s endocannabinoid system – has shown promising results in a Phase 2a clinical trial, significantly boosting weight loss when combined with a GLP-1 drug, and doing so without causing added side effects.
New clue to obesity: The protein that's driving your cells to hold more fat
By Bronwyn Thompson
November 25, 2025
Scientists have made a major breakthrough in understanding how fat cells grow in size, in response to accommodating larger droplets of fat. The findings unlock a new path in tackling obesity, by reducing the amount of fat our cells can store away.
A medical research team co-led by the University of Texas Southwestern (UT Southwestern) has identified an important piece of the puzzle as to how adipocytes absorb excess lipid (fat) droplets not burnt up through metabolism, paving the way for new obesity and diabetes targets.
“This study builds upon our long-standing interest in how fat cells maintain their cellular health upon expansion," said Philipp Scherer, Professor of Internal Medicine and Cell Biology at UT Southwestern. "We show that a tiny microprotein punches far above its weight in sculpting fat biology."
The World Health Organization (WHO) has finally made its recommendations on using glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapeutics for weight loss, though it remains to be seen whether it changes their status for prescribing or their price.
The announcement was made on December 1, with the WHO offering two recommendations for GLP-1 drugs that include Wegovy (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for long-term use to manage obesity. The body also recommends the medications be used in conjunction with other strategies including counseling and ongoing monitoring of patients by clinicians. They are as follows:
Recommendation #1: In adults living with obesity, long-term GLP-1 therapies may be used for weight management. This conditional recommendation is supported by moderate-certainty evidence from ongoing trials for their effectiveness in achieving clinically meaningful weight loss and broad metabolic benefits, together with cost, health system preparedness, and potential equity implications.
Eli Lilly’s orforglipron (Foundayo) has secured FDA approval for weight loss. The drug is the first small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist to secure approval, offering a potential convenience edge over established peptidic GLP-1-based obesity drugs.
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