Viking Therapeutics to Highlight Clinical Data from VK2735 Obesity Program in Presentations at ObesityWeek® 2025
October 29, 2025 / obesity treatment / GLP-1 GIP therapy / VK2735 clinical trial / metabolic syndrome drug / Viking Therapeutics
Viking Therapeutics will present Phase 2 and 3 clinical data for VK2735, a dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist, showing promising effects on obesity, prediabetes, and metabolic syndrome, at ObesityWeek® and AHA 2025 scientific meetings.
Scientists uncover new obesity genes that reshape understanding of weight and disease risk
November 2, 2025 / obesity genetics / rare BMI variants / metabolic disease risk / cross-ancestry study / polygenic obesity
A cross-ancestry genetic study identified five novel obesity-linked genes, revealing how rare and common variants combine to influence BMI and related diseases like diabetes, heart failure, and GERD—highlighting the need for equitable, population-inclusive research.
Screening and diagnosis of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in children within public healthcare
October 30, 2025 / pediatric MASLD / liver disease screening / childhood obesity / NASPGHAN guidelines / metabolic dysfunction
A Finnish cohort study found that MASLD screening in children with obesity largely follows NASPGHAN guidelines, though underdiagnosis persists. Screening rates and diagnostic accuracy improved over time, emphasizing the need for refined pediatric screening protocols and earlier disease detection.
Sweeteners Transform Both Weight Loss and Gut Health
November 3, 2025 / sweeteners and obesity / gut microbiota health / sugar alternatives weight loss / cardiometabolic risk / S&SE study
Replacing sugars with sweeteners and sweetness enhancers supported sustained weight loss and improved gut microbiota composition in adults with obesity, without harming cardiometabolic health—though mild gastrointestinal symptoms were more common in the sweetener group.
Five Companies Defining The Next Billion-Dollar Frontier in Weight-Loss Beyond GLP-1s
November 2, 2025 / post-GLP1 obesity solutions / metabolic health innovation / neuromodulation weight loss / live biotherapeutics obesity / non-surgical bariatric alternatives
Beyond GLP-1s, next-generation obesity solutions—from neuromodulation and oral bypass mimetics to live biotherapeutics—are emerging as scalable, cost-effective tools for sustainable metabolic health, addressing long-term adherence, safety, and accessibility challenges in weight-loss care.
Long-term effects of keto: High-fat diet potentially harms metabolism
October 28, 2025 / ketogenic diet risks / fatty liver disease / insulin dysfunction / metabolic health study / long-term keto effects
A long-term mouse study found that ketogenic diets, while limiting weight gain, can impair insulin secretion, disrupt blood sugar control, and induce fatty liver—raising concerns about metabolic harm from chronic high-fat intake despite short-term benefits.
Emerging forever chemical may drive fatty liver disease
November 3, 2025 / PFHpA liver disease / PFAS obesity risk / adolescent fatty liver / environmental toxins MASLD / forever chemicals health
A new study links exposure to PFHpA, an emerging PFAS “forever chemical,” to increased risk and severity of fatty liver disease in obese adolescents, highlighting environmental toxins as underrecognized contributors to pediatric metabolic liver disease.
Metabolic Conditions Influence Hepatitis B Treatment Outcomes
November 3, 2025 / hepatitis B treatment / metabolic dysfunction HBV / MASLD antiviral response / liver cancer risk / chronic HBV outcomes
Metabolic conditions, including obesity and diabetes, reduce the effectiveness of antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis B patients, lowering long-term biochemical and complete response rates and increasing liver cancer risk—even when viral suppression is achieved.
A hidden blood molecule may hold the secret to healthy aging and long life
October 31, 2025 / CtBP2 aging biomarker / healthy aging molecule / metabolic health longevity / blood test for aging / anti-aging research
Researchers identified CtBP2, a blood molecule regulating metabolism, as a potential biomarker for biological aging. Higher CtBP2 levels correlate with healthier aging and longevity, offering a promising target for diagnostics and future anti-aging interventions.
Exercise may help counter depressive, anxiety-like symptoms from Western diet
October 28, 2024 / Western diet depression / exercise mental health / gut microbiome mood / high-fat diet anxiety / metabolic health and mood
In a rat model, exercise reduced depressive and anxiety-like symptoms caused by a high-fat, high-sugar Western diet by modulating metabolic hormones and gut microbiome metabolites—though it didn’t fully reverse all negative effects, highlighting diet’s critical role.
Novo Nordisk Swoops In With $6.5B Bid to Top Pfizer’s M&A Deal With Obesity Biotech Metsera
October 30, 2025 / Novo Nordisk Metsera deal / GLP-1 obesity drugs / obesity biotech acquisition / metabolic medicine M&A / Wegovy Zepbound competition
Novo Nordisk has made a $6.5B bid to acquire obesity drug developer Metsera, aiming to secure next-generation GLP-1 therapies with potential dosing and manufacturing advantages, intensifying competition in the metabolic medicine market dominated by Wegovy and Zepbound.
Does fasting earlier in the day improve metabolism? This study says no
October 30, 2025 / time-restricted eating study / TRE insulin sensitivity / early vs late TRE / intermittent fasting metabolism / obesity meal timing
A controlled crossover study in overweight women found that early and late Time-Restricted Eating (TRE) did not improve insulin sensitivity or key metabolic markers, suggesting TRE’s benefits may stem from caloric reduction rather than meal timing alone.
Hanyang University researchers explore role of time-restricted eating in controlling MASLD
October 28, 2025 / MASLD diet treatment / time-restricted eating liver / TRE vs calorie restriction / fatty liver diet strategy / intermittent fasting MASLD
Hanyang University researchers found that time-restricted eating (TRE) significantly reduces liver fat and body weight in MASLD patients, performing comparably to calorie restriction—offering a practical, sustainable dietary strategy without requiring major meal composition changes.
Aligning your body clock may protect your heart and metabolism, says AHA
October 29, 2025 / circadian rhythm heart health / time-restricted eating metabolism / sleep timing cardiovascular risk
The AHA emphasizes that aligning sleep, light exposure, meals, and exercise with circadian rhythms may lower cardiometabolic disease risk. While causal links remain under investigation, circadian-based interventions show promise for improving metabolic health and cardiovascular outcomes.
Immunis Publishes Research Showing Body Fat Loss and Reversal of Liver Steatosis and Fibrosis, While Increasing Lean Muscle Mass, in Aged Models
October 31, 2025 / IMM01-STEM weight loss / stem cell obesity therapy / liver fibrosis reversal / muscle-sparing fat loss / metabolic health aging
Immunis’ investigational therapy IMM01-STEM reduced body fat, reversed liver steatosis and fibrosis, and preserved lean muscle in aged obese mice—offering a potential alternative to GLP-1 drugs for healthier, muscle-sparing weight loss and metabolic improvement.
Study Finds Weightlifting Superior to Running for Blood Sugar Control
November 3, 2025 / resistance training diabetes / weightlifting insulin sensitivity / strength training metabolic health / blood sugar exercise benefits / obesity glucose control
A Virginia Tech study found resistance training more effective than aerobic exercise at improving insulin sensitivity and reducing fat in obese mice, highlighting unique metabolic pathways activated by weightlifting and suggesting strength training as a key strategy in diabetes prevention.
Exploring role of time-restricted eating in controlling metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease
October 28, 2025 / time-restricted eating MASLD / intermittent fasting liver health / TRE vs calorie restriction / fatty liver diet strategy / metabolic dysfunction treatment
A Hanyang University study found time-restricted eating (TRE) significantly reduced liver fat, body weight, and visceral fat in MASLD patients—comparable to calorie restriction—suggesting TRE as a practical, sustainable approach for managing liver and metabolic health.
Resmetirom Reduces Liver Stiffness in MASH Cirrhosis
October 31, 2025 / resmetirom MASH cirrhosis / liver stiffness reduction / fibrosis reversal therapy / thyroid receptor agonist / MASH treatment breakthrough
Resmetirom, an oral thyroid hormone receptor‑β agonist, significantly reduced liver stiffness and portal hypertension in patients with compensated MASH cirrhosis over two years, with 35% showing fibrosis regression—suggesting potential reversal of cirrhosis and a new therapeutic option.
FDA Policy Shift Accelerates MASH Treatment Development
October 30, 2025 / FDA MASH policy shift / non-invasive liver tests / DA-1241 GPR119 agonist / MASH drug development / obesity and liver treatment
The FDA’s endorsement of non-invasive tests for MASH trials accelerates drug development, including Dong-A ST’s DA-1241, a GPR119 agonist showing liver-protective effects. Parallel progress with obesity drug DA-1726 supports dual metabolic and liver disease treatment strategies.
Altimmune Announces Early Completion of Enrollment in RECLAIM Phase 2 Trial Evaluating Pemvidutide in Alcohol Use Disorder
November 3, 2025 / pemvidutide alcohol treatment / RECLAIM trial AUD / dual agonist liver therapy / AUD clinical trial update / alcohol-related liver disease
Altimmune completed enrollment early in its Phase 2 RECLAIM trial of pemvidutide for alcohol use disorder (AUD). The dual agonist therapy targets both alcohol consumption and liver damage, with results expected in 2026 for this high-need population.