Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX) Advances Obesity Drug Development and Expands Metabolic Disease Pipeline
January 26, 2026 / obesity-treatment / GLP-1-agonist / weight-loss-drug / metabolic-disease-therapy / phase-3-trial
Viking Therapeutics’ obesity drug VK2735 achieved 14.7% weight loss in Phase 2 trials without plateauing. Now in Phase 3, the dual GLP-1/GIP agonist targets obesity and metabolic diseases within a growing $150B market.
Long-Term Keto Diet Risks Raise Questions for Metabolic Health
January 23, 2025 / ketogenic-diet / metabolic-health / insulin-secretion / fatty-liver / blood-lipids
A year-long mouse study found that long-term ketogenic diets can impair insulin secretion, raise blood lipids, and cause fatty liver, despite limiting weight gain—raising concerns about the diet’s long-term metabolic safety in humans.
Our oral microbiome could hold the key to preventing obesity
January 22, 2026 / oral-microbiome / obesity-prevention / metabolic-health / inflammatory-bacteria / saliva-testing
Researchers found distinct differences in the oral microbiomes of people with obesity, suggesting inflammatory and metabolic signatures that may contribute to or reflect obesity, potentially enabling early detection or prevention through targeted microbiome-based interventions.
The shift toward multi-target strategies in obesity therapeutics
January 20, 2026 / obesity-therapeutics / GLP-1-agonists / metabolic-dysregulation / inflammation-obesity / GPR75-targets
Obesity involves complex metabolic dysregulation and inflammation. New multi-target therapies like dual/triple agonists (e.g., GLP-1/GIP/GCGR) and emerging targets like GPR75 offer promising advances in treating obesity and related comorbidities.
Berberine Won’t Reduce Visceral or Liver Fat
January 26, 2026 / berberine / visceral-fat / liver-fat / MASLD-treatment / obesity-therapy
Berberine was found to be safe but ineffective at reducing visceral fat or liver fat in patients with obesity and MASLD who do not have diabetes.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and steatohepatitis-associated hepatocarcinoma preclinical models
January 26, 2026 / MASLD / MASH-HCC / liver-models / fibrosis-research / hepatocellular-carcinoma
This review evaluates preclinical models for MASLD and MASH-associated HCC, emphasizing the need for models that accurately reflect human disease for improved translational relevance, standardization, and validation in metabolic liver disease research.
Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy Pill And Akero Deal Reframe Obesity Growth Story
January 24, 2026 / Wegovy-pill / GLP-1-obesity / CagriSema-trial / Akero-acquisition / metabolic-health
Novo Nordisk strengthens its obesity and metabolic health leadership with FDA approval of oral Wegovy, acquisition of Akero Therapeutics, and positive Phase 3 CagriSema data, signaling expanded treatment options for weight loss and metabolic disease.
Lean People With Fatty Liver Disease Face Higher Risks
January 23, 2026 / MASLD-risk / lean-fatty-liver / liver-complications / nonobese-MASH / cardiometabolic-disease
New data show that lean individuals with MASLD face higher rates of liver complications, cancer, and mortality than those with obesity, challenging current risk assessment strategies and highlighting the need for broader diagnostic criteria beyond BMI.
Corxel raises $287M series D round to advance oral GLP-1
January 23, 2026 / oral-GLP-1 / obesity-treatment / CX-11-drug / Corxel-funding / weight-loss-therapy
Corxel Pharmaceuticals raised $287 million in Series D funding to advance CX-11, an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, aimed at treating obesity and overweight conditions with a more accessible, non-injectable therapeutic option.
Nxera Pharma Establishes Metabolic Advisory Council to Advance Next-Generation Therapies for Obesity and Metabolic Disorders
January 20, 2026 / obesity-therapies / metabolic-disorders / oral-treatment / Nxera-Pharma / advisory-council
Nxera Pharma has formed a Metabolic Advisory Council of global experts to guide its development of next-generation oral therapies for obesity and metabolic disorders, focusing on long-term weight maintenance, comorbidity management, and improved tolerability.
The Overlooked Pathway Connecting Metabolic Health To Brain Aging
January 24, 2026 / metabolic-health / brain-aging / dementia-risk / vascular-health / obesity-genetics
A new genetics-based study links higher body weight to increased dementia risk by highlighting metabolic and vascular pathways as early contributors to brain aging, reinforcing the connection between midlife metabolic health and long-term cognitive decline.
Researchers identify a key protein switch that halts fat cell formation
January 26, 2026 / obesity-treatment / fat-cell-formation / hippo-pathway / metabolic-disease / epigenomic-regulation
KAIST researchers identified YAP/TAZ as key regulators in the Hippo pathway that act as a “switch” to block fat cell formation, offering a novel epigenomic target for treating obesity and metabolic diseases like fatty liver disease.
Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) 2026 Deep Dive: Challenging the Obesity Duopoly
January 23, 2026 / Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) 2026 Deep Dive: Challenging the Obesity Duopoly
Viking Therapeutics is emerging as a major obesity drug contender, showing promising clinical data that may outperform current leaders Zepbound and Wegovy in weight loss efficacy and dosing convenience, reshaping the competitive landscape in metabolic medicine.
Alveus Therapeutics Announces FDA Clearance of IND and First Patient Dosed in Phase 1b Trial of ALV-100 for Obesity
January 23, 2026 / ALV-100 / obesity-treatment / GLP-1-agonist / GIPR-antagonist / weight-management
Alveus Therapeutics has initiated a Phase 1b trial for ALV-100, a dual GIPR antagonist and GLP-1R agonist, designed for long-term obesity treatment. The FDA-cleared study will assess safety, efficacy, and dosing in 180 overweight or obese adults.
Semaglutide Shows Promise for Steatohepatitis Resolution in MASH
January 22, 2025 / semaglutide / MASH-treatment / liver-health / GLP-1-agonist / metabolic-disease
Semaglutide shows promise in resolving MASH and improving liver and metabolic markers, particularly at higher doses and longer durations. However, its effect on fibrosis regression remains limited, indicating potential for use in combination or extended therapies.
Nutrient-stimulated hormone-based therapies: A new frontier in the prevention and management of MASH-associated hepatocellular carcinoma
January 21, 2026 / GLP-1RA / MASH-treatment / liver-cancer / metabolic-therapy / incretin-agonists
Nutrient-stimulated hormone-based therapies, including GLP-1RAs and incretin agonists, show promise in treating MASH and potentially preventing hepatocellular carcinoma by improving metabolic dysfunction, reducing inflammation, and enhancing immunotherapy response in high-risk liver disease patients.
NuSHs can be a promising therapeutic strategy for preventing MASH-related hepatocellular carcinoma
January 21, 2026 / MASH-treatment / GLP-1-agonists / liver-cancer / metabolic-therapy / NuSH-benefits
Nutrient-stimulated hormone therapies, including GLP-1RAs and incretin agonists, show strong potential in treating MASH and preventing hepatocellular carcinoma by improving metabolic dysfunction, reducing inflammation, and enhancing immunotherapy responsiveness.
HistoIndex teams up with Houston Research Institute to expand advanced MASH diagnostic services
January 23, 2026 / MASH-diagnosis / AI-pathology / liver-fibrosis / digital-biopsy / HistoIndex-HRI
HistoIndex and Houston Research Institute have partnered to expand AI-powered MASH diagnostic services, integrating advanced histopathology and FibroSIGHT™ Plus fibrosis analysis across HRI centers to enhance precision in liver disease evaluation and patient care.
New name for fatty liver disease highlights metabolic causes and prevention
January 21, 2025 / MASLD / fatty-liver / metabolic-health / liver-screening / silent-disease
Fatty liver disease is now called MASLD to reflect its metabolic origins. Often silent, it affects people with obesity, diabetes, or high cholesterol but is preventable and reversible with early detection through non-invasive screening methods.