Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co KG has identified drug conjugates acting as neuromedin U receptor 2 (NMU2) agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of obesity.

The Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has discovered glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, among others.

Long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists have shown efficacy in obesity treatment but, after discontinuation, a rapid recovery of weight is usually seen, likely due to orexigenic mechanisms involved in weight regain.

Platycodin D (PD) is an oleanane-type triterpenoid saponin and one of the primary active substances isolated from the root of the Platycodon herb. Investigators from First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University and affiliated organizations studied the effects of PD on high-fat diet-induced obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (now called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease or MASLD).

The hypothalamus controls several neural circuits that have to do with instinctive behaviors such as food seeking, socialization and offspring maternal care, among others. There is limited knowledge regarding the mechanisms by which internal and external sensory cues are integrated to coordinate innate behavior.

The efficacy of cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonists in diet-induced obesity and its related metabolic complications is well established, but they are tied to central nervous system (CNS)-related adverse effects due to brain penetration. There is increasing interest in developing peripherally restricted compounds for use in the clinic, but the molecular mechanisms behind the metabolic benefits from CB1 receptor antagonists is still poorly understood.