Scientists at Stanford Medicine found a natural molecule that works like the weight‑loss drug Ozempic. In tests with mice and mini‑pigs, the molecule lowered appetite and body weight while avoiding common side effects such as nausea, constipation, and loss of muscle.
The molecule is named BRP. It uses a different brain pathway than Ozempic and turns on specific neurons that control hunger.
“Ozempic reaches many parts of the body, including the gut and pancreas, which is why it can cause stomach problems,” explained assistant professor Katrin Svensson. “BRP mainly targets the hypothalamus, the brain area that decides when we feel hungry.”
Nature
How AI Helped Find the Peptide
Researchers used artificial intelligence to scan thousands of prohormones—large proteins that can be cut into smaller hormone pieces. Finding the right peptide by hand would take years.
They focused on an enzyme called prohormone convertase 1/3, which is linked to obesity. One of its products, GLP‑1, is the hormone that Ozempic copies.
Computer Tool Narrows the Search
The team built a program named “Peptide Predictor.” It examined all 20,000 human protein‑coding genes and marked spots where prohormones could be sliced into peptides.
Only proteins that leave the cell and have many cutting sites were kept, reducing the list to 373 candidates. The algorithm then created 2,683 possible peptide fragments.
From this set, the scientists chose 100 peptides—including GLP‑1—to test on lab‑grown brain cells.
A Tiny Peptide with Big Impact
GLP‑1 increased neuron activity as expected. However, a much smaller peptide made of just 12 amino acids sparked an even stronger response—about ten times more than the control.
This tiny peptide was called BRP, short for BRINP2‑related peptide.
Animal Tests Show Reduced Eating and Fat Loss
When lean mice and mini‑pigs received a single BRP injection before a meal, they ate up to half as much food within an hour.
Obese mice given daily injections for two weeks lost an average of three grams of weight, mostly from fat. Untreated mice gained a similar amount.
The treated animals also showed better blood‑sugar control and insulin response. Their activity levels, water intake, anxiety‑like behavior, and digestion stayed normal.
Looking Ahead
The researchers now aim to find the exact brain receptors that bind BRP and to make its effects last longer. If it works in people, it could become a more focused treatment for obesity.
“We need better medicines for obesity,” said Svensson. “Semaglutide (Ozempic) is powerful, but we want something that works without unwanted side effects.”
Collaboration and Funding
The study involved scientists from Stanford, UC Berkeley, the University of Minnesota, and the University of British Columbia. Funding came from the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, the Carlsberg Foundation, and the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance.