New Fat-Dissolving Injection Could Replace Liposuction and Prevent Weight Gain

A new injection that targets fat directly could give overweight adults a flatter stomach within three months, according to fresh research. US scientists describe the development as remarkable because it destroys fat stored under the skin rather than just suppressing appetite. This approach might one day replace cosmetic surgeries like liposuction for toning difficult areas. More importantly, the drug cuts levels of dangerous visceral fat that hides around internal organs and drives up risks for heart attack, diabetes, and stroke.

Switching to this new jab after a course on Mounjaro or Wegovy could also stop weight from piling back on. Experts at the University of Alabama found that CBL-514 caused significant reductions in subcutaneous fat for 70 per cent of patients. When used alongside tirzepatide, commonly known as Mounjaro, it appears to boost overall weight loss effects.

Dr Timothy Garvey presented these findings at the annual meeting of the European Association for Diabetes Study in Milan. He noted that while patients will likely be pleased by cosmetic results like a flatter stomach, the real health benefits come from dropping body weight and losing visceral fat. Improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol are just as critical. Unlike common injections that mimic GLP-1 to create feelings of fullness, CBL-514 triggers actual self-destruction of fat cells.

In a phase 2 trial, about three-quarters of participants lost at least 150ml of visible fat over eight weeks. Animal studies showed the drug reduced visceral fat and lowered risks for heart attacks, strokes, and fatty liver disease. Rats given CBL-514 with tirzepatide shed more weight than those on either medication alone. They also regained less weight when treatment stopped. Researchers do not know exactly why this happens but suspect that destroying fat cells limits the amount available to be stored again.

Most users of Wegovy and Mounjaro regain lost weight within two years of stopping, according to existing studies. Dr Garvey hopes CBL-514 will help keep weight off longer, leading to lasting improvements in blood sugar and cholesterol. However, more research is needed to prove this holds true. The trial involved 41 participants led by Dr Garvey and Caliway Biopharmaceuticals. Subjects received up to 600mg of CBL-514 or a placebo over three months. Injection frequency depended on how much abdominal fat a person carried, which was measured via MRI scans.

One month after the final treatment, those given the drug had roughly 12 per cent less visceral fat than at the start. The placebo group saw levels rise by almost 6 per cent. By two months, drug recipients had about 10 per cent less dangerous visceral fat compared to baseline. Meanwhile, the placebo group showed around a 12 per cent increase. CBL-514 was well tolerated with only redness and pain at the injection site as side effects.

The team concluded that this treatment could significantly reduce both stubborn belly fat and deadly visceral fat, offering a less invasive alternative to surgery. Two phase 3 trials evaluating safety and efficacy for belly fat reduction are set to begin soon. Dr Marie Spreckley of the University of Cambridge called the results encouraging but stressed that larger studies with longer follow-ups are needed to confirm if fat loss lasts and improves health.

Professor Justin Rochford from the University of Aberdeen added that while the drug was designed for unusual fatty lumps, it could be invaluable for treating cardiometabolic diseases. He warned researchers must prove it does not increase fat accumulation in other organs. These findings follow new research on a double-pronged jab called EloraTZP which helped patients lose nearly a quarter of their body weight within 48 weeks. That drug combined tirzepatide with eloralintide to achieve an astonishing 23.3 per cent weight loss, suggesting the combination may be the most powerful tool yet for controlling hunger.