New targeted fat injection could leave users with a flatter stomach in months, researchers say

A new-generation weight-loss jab that destroys fat beneath the skin could help overweight adults achieve a flatter stomach within just a few months, according to a study.

US researchers say the “remarkable” injection may one day offer an alternative to cosmetic procedures such as liposuction for shaping stubborn areas.

Scientists also found that it appears to cut levels of dangerous “hidden” visceral fat around the organs, which is linked to a higher risk of heart attack, diabetes and stroke.

It may also help prevent weight from returning after people stop using drugs such as Mounjaro or Wegovy.

Experts at the University of Alabama found that the drug, called CBL-514, produced significant reductions in subcutaneous fat in 70% of patients.

Using it alongside tirzepatide, better known as Mounjaro, was also shown to enhance weight-loss effects.

Presenting the findings at a diabetes meeting in Milan, Dr Timothy Garvey said patients were likely to welcome the cosmetic changes, including a flatter stomach linked to loss of subcutaneous fat.

“But it is the reduction in body weight, loss of visceral fat and the improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol and the like that should be associated with this that will be important for health,” he said.

Unlike common weight-loss injections that mimic the hormone GLP-1 to create a feeling of fullness, CBL-514 works by triggering fat cells to self-destruct.

In a phase 2 trial, about three-quarters of participants treated with the drug lost at least 150ml of visible fat over eight weeks.

Animal studies also suggested the injection lowers visceral fat, potentially reducing the risk of cardiometabolic conditions including heart attack, stroke and fatty liver disease.

Rats given the drug together with tirzepatide lost more weight than those given either treatment alone, and regained less weight after tirzepatide was stopped.

Researchers do not yet know exactly why CBL-514 seems to reduce rebound weight gain, but they believe destroying fat cells may limit how much fat can be restored.

Studies have shown that many users of Wegovy and Mounjaro regain weight within two years of stopping treatment.

The hope is that CBL-514 could help people keep weight off for longer, leading to more durable improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, Dr Garvey said.

However, more research is still needed to confirm that outcome.

The trial involved 41 participants and was carried out by Dr Garvey, a metabolic disease specialist, together with drug developer Caliway Biopharmaceuticals.

Participants were randomly assigned to receive up to 600mg of CBL-514 or a placebo over a three-month period.

The researchers did not specify how often injections were given, but said the schedule depended on how much abdominal fat each participant carried.

Hidden visceral fat was tracked during the study using MRI scans.

One month after the final treatment, those given CBL-514 had about 12% less visceral fat than at the start of the study, while the placebo group saw an increase of almost 6%.

After two months, participants who received the drug had about 10% less dangerous visceral fat than when they began.

By comparison, those on placebo had around 11.8% more.

CBL-514 was generally well tolerated, with redness and pain at the injection site the only side effects reported.

The team concluded that the drug could meaningfully reduce both dangerous visceral fat and stubborn belly fat, offering a far less invasive option than surgery for removing visible fat under the skin.

Two phase 3 trials are due to begin soon to assess the treatment’s safety and effectiveness for reducing belly fat.

Dr Marie Spreckley, a metabolic disorders specialist at the University of Cambridge who was not involved in the study, described the results as encouraging.

She said larger trials with longer follow-up are needed to show whether the fat loss lasts and whether it translates into better health.

Professor Justin Rochford of the University of Aberdeen said the drug was originally designed to target fat cells in unusual fatty lumps under the skin, but could prove valuable in treating cardiometabolic disease.

He cautioned, however, that researchers will need to show it does not raise the risk of fat building up in other organs.

The findings come after separate research suggested a dual-action fat jab called EloraTZP could help patients lose nearly a quarter of their body weight within 48 weeks.

Scientists said the drug, which combines tirzepatide with a compound called eloralintide, produced an “astonishing” weight loss of 23.3%, raising hopes that the combination may be the strongest yet for appetite control.