New drug could ‘reprogramme fat’ to tackle obesity

A new weight-loss drug that works by reprogramming how the body processes fat has entered human trials, raising hopes of a long-term solution to obesity.

The medication, known as RES-010, aims to address the root causes of obesity by altering the way cells handle energy from food. Unlike existing treatments that suppress appetite, RES-010 could allow individuals to lose weight while continuing to eat the same amount.

According to Obesity Action Scotland, around two-thirds of adults in Scotland are living with overweight or obesity. Current medications such as semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, help by slowing digestion and increasing feelings of fullness. While effective, many people regain weight once treatment ends.

RES-010 takes a different approach by blocking an RNA molecule called miR-22, described as a ‘master controller’ in several bodily processes linked to obesity. By reprogramming this molecule, researchers believe the drug can bring about sustained weight loss.

At the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Vienna last week, scientists from Turin-based Resalis Therapeutics presented results from trials on obese mice. Weekly injections of RES-010 led to weight loss of twelve per cent more than untreated mice, despite identical food intake.

Riccardo Panella, co-founder and chief executive of Resalis Therapeutics, explained: “RES-010 works by reprogramming how cells handle fat and energy. Rather than reducing appetite, it boosts the activity of mitochondria – the cell’s ‘batteries’ – and helps convert white fat, which stores energy, into brown fat, which burns it.”

Over a five-month period, the treated mice lost weight gradually, with fat rather than muscle and bone mass being reduced. Even after treatment stopped, the mice did not regain weight and no significant side effects were observed.

The drug is now being tested in a phase one clinical trial in the Netherlands, with the first volunteers treated in November 2024. Initial results are expected early 2026.

Researchers are also exploring whether RES-010 could be used alongside semaglutide to enhance results. If successful, the treatment could form part of a new class of RNA-based medicines designed to provide lasting weight loss and improved metabolic health.