Neck circumference as a metabolic health marker among women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): a systematic review and meta-analysis
April 21, 2025 / PCOS / neck circumference / insulin resistance / metabolic syndrome / women’s metabolic health
Women with PCOS have significantly larger neck circumference (NC), which correlates with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. NC may serve as a simple, non-invasive screening marker for metabolic risk, though more diverse population data is needed.
Unexpected New Clues to Fighting Obesity: Scientists Identify Brain Circuit That May Help Burn Fat
April 19, 2025 / obesity treatment / brain metabolism circuit / motion sickness research / energy expenditure / glucose tolerance
Researchers identified a brain circuit linking motion sickness and metabolism, showing that inhibiting specific vestibular neurons increases energy expenditure and improves glucose regulation in mice. This discovery may offer new, unconventional targets for obesity and metabolic disease treatments.
Study reveals a novel link between body fat and anxiety
April 15, 2025 / anxiety and metabolism / adipose tissue signaling / GDF15 hormone anxiety / obesity mental health link / metabolic therapy for anxiety
McMaster researchers discovered that stress-induced fat metabolism triggers GDF15 hormone release, which signals the brain and induces anxiety. This novel adipose-brain connection opens new possibilities for targeting metabolic pathways to treat anxiety disorders.
Impact of a Probiotic-Fiber Blend on Body Weight, Metabolic Regulation, and Digestive Function in Obese Adults: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multicentric Trial
April 20, 2025 / probiotic fiber weight loss / gut microbiome obesity / metabolic syndrome treatment / insulin resistance gut health / obesity clinical trial results
A 90-day randomized controlled trial found that a probiotic-fiber blend significantly improved weight, metabolic markers, stress levels, and digestive health in obese adults. Results suggest gut microbiome modulation may offer a safe, effective obesity intervention.
Eli Lilly’s Metabolic Medicine Takes the Lead in the Race to Develop an Oral GLP-1 Drug
April 17, 2024 / oral GLP-1 weight loss / type 2 diabetes treatment / orforglipron Phase 3 results / Eli Lilly metabolic drug / non-injectable diabetes therapy
Eli Lilly’s oral GLP-1 drug, orforglipron, showed significant reductions in A1C and body weight in a Phase 3 trial for type 2 diabetes, with no liver safety concerns. Lilly plans regulatory filings for weight loss and diabetes through 2026.
RedHill Biopharma’s Positive Opaganib Weight Loss & Diabetes Data Published: Signals Potential $100B Market Disruption
April 16, 2025 / Opaganib weight loss / SPHK2 inhibitor diabetes / GLP-1 alternative drug / RedHill Biopharma obesity / oral non-peptide metabolic therapy
Opaganib, a novel oral SPHK2 inhibitor, demonstrated GLP-1–comparable weight loss and metabolic improvement in preclinical obesity models. With prior human safety data, it offers a differentiated, non-peptide pathway for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Metabolic Syndrome May Increase Risk of Cancer Recurrence, Subsequent Mortality Among Breast Cancer Survivors
April 18, 2025 / breast cancer recurrence / metabolic syndrome risk / cancer survivor mortality / inflammation and cancer / obesity-related breast cancer
Breast cancer survivors with metabolic syndrome at diagnosis face significantly higher risks of recurrence (69%) and mortality (83%), highlighting the need for metabolic screening and intervention to improve long-term oncologic outcomes.
Frequency and risk factors of metabolic associated fatty liver disease among medical students in Egypt
April 18, 2025 / MAFLD in young adults / fatty liver disease risk / obesity and liver health / metabolic syndrome Egypt / medical student health
A cross-sectional study of Egyptian medical students found a 13.1% frequency of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), with key risk factors including high BMI, waist circumference, fat mass, sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, and sleep quality.
Dysregulated maternal and newborn fatty acid, sugar and amino acid metabolism associated with high birth weight
April 17, 2025 / high birth weight / maternal metabolism / newborn metabolomics / gestational weight gain / amino acid dysregulation
This study links maternal gestational weight gain and parity to high birth weight through dysregulated maternal glucose and amino acid metabolism and altered newborn fatty acid and steroid hormone pathways, highlighting shared metabolic contributors to adverse perinatal outcomes.
Skye Bioscience Demonstrates Over 30% Weight Loss with Nimacimab and Tirzepatide Combination in Preclinical Model
April 15, 2024 / nimacimab / CB1 inhibitor / obesity treatment / tirzepatide combination / weight loss therapy
Skye Bioscience’s CB1 antibody nimacimab, alone or with tirzepatide, produced over 30% weight loss in a preclinical obesity model. Its novel allosteric binding avoids competition with natural CB1 ligands, potentially enhancing efficacy and minimizing neuropsychiatric side effects.
GLP-1 Drugs Show Potential as Treatment for Bardet-Biedl Syndrome
April 21, 2025 / GLP-1 therapy / Bardet-Biedl Syndrome / syndromic obesity treatment / metabolic dysfunction / genetic obesity disorder
GLP-1 receptor agonists significantly improved metabolic function, reduced food intake, and normalized hormone levels in a mouse model of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, suggesting these drugs may offer a novel treatment pathway for syndromic obesity linked to ciliopathies.
Brisk walking pace with time spent at this speed may lower risk of heart rhythm abnormalities, reports study
April 16, 2025 / brisk walking / heart rhythm abnormalities / atrial fibrillation prevention / metabolic health / arrhythmia risk reduction
Brisk walking and time spent at this pace were linked to significantly reduced risks of heart rhythm abnormalities—including atrial fibrillation and tachycardia—especially in younger, non-obese individuals, with metabolic and inflammatory improvements partly explaining the effect.
Revising risk assessment strategies for perioperative metabolic bariatric surgery
April 17, 2025 / metabolic bariatric surgery / obesity exposure score / perioperative risk assessment / telemonitoring in bariatrics / bariatric discharge criteria
Lisa van Ede-Peelen’s research advocates for revising metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) risk assessments by de-emphasizing BMI, integrating the Obesity Exposure Score (OBES), standardizing discharge criteria, and incorporating telemonitoring to improve safety, efficiency, and patient-centered care.
New Hope and Persistent Challenges for MASH Treatment: Naim Alkhouri, MD
April 17, 2025 / MASH treatment / resmetirom approval / metabolic liver disease / cirrhotic MASH challenges / steatohepatitis therapy
Dr. Naim Alkhouri highlights the evolving treatment landscape for MASH, emphasizing the significance of resmetirom’s FDA approval for noncirrhotic cases while underscoring the persistent therapeutic gap for patients with cirrhotic MASH.
D&D Pharmatech completes US phase 2 dosing of MASH drug, eyes June data release
April 18, 2025 / MASH clinical trial / GLP-1 dual agonist / DD01 liver fat reduction / metabolic liver disease / D&D Pharmatech phase 2
D&D Pharmatech has completed 12-week dosing in its U.S. phase 2 trial of DD01, a dual GLP-1/glucagon receptor agonist for MASH. Preliminary data shows strong liver fat reduction, with MRI-PDFF results expected in June.
Poxel Provides Financial Update for the First Quarter 2025 and Announces the Postponement of its 2024 Full-Year Results
April 16, 2025 / ‘Poxel financial update / MASH drug development / PXL065 clinical trial / metabolic disease treatment / biotech funding crisis
Poxel SA is facing severe financial uncertainty following default-triggering governance issues, jeopardizing its ongoing operations and delaying 2024 results. Despite a promising pipeline for MASH and rare metabolic diseases, cash constraints may impact clinical development continuity.
Merck Eyes Oral Peptide Delivery With Cyprumed Deal Worth up to $493M
April 15, 2025 / oral peptide delivery / Merck Cyprumed deal / GLP-1 analogs / MASH treatment innovation / cardiometabolic drug development
Merck partnered with Cyprumed to explore oral delivery of peptide therapies, including GLP-1 analogs, potentially enhancing treatment options for cardiometabolic diseases like MASH. The deal supports Merck’s shift toward orally available, multi-benefit obesity and metabolic drugs.
Using retinal images to classify metabolic syndrome
April 20, 2025 / retinal imaging diagnostics / metabolic syndrome detection / AI in healthcare / non-invasive disease screening / Vision Transformer model
South Korean researchers developed a Vision Transformer model using retinal images to classify metabolic syndrome, achieving strong diagnostic performance, especially when combined with basic clinical data like age, gender, and BMI—highlighting a non-invasive screening potential.
Prevalence and coexistence of locomotive syndrome with reduced mobility and metabolic syndrome: a cross-sectional study of 35,059 Japanese adults
April 19, 2025 / metabolic syndrome / locomotive syndrome / aging and mobility / Japan health study / MetS and LS overlap
In a study of 35,059 Japanese adults, researchers found a significant association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and locomotive syndrome (LS). LS prevalence was higher among those with MetS, particularly in women, emphasizing the need for integrated screening in aging populations.