Byetta fat loss drug?

The Gila monster can go for prolonged periods without eating. When studied it was found to produce a protein that helped to slow the emptying of its stomach- so it stayed full for extended periods. This protein is very similar to one that human�s make- called GLP-1. Well, researchers have now made a synthetic GLP-1, which has recently been FDA approved for the treatment of diabetes . It is called Exenetide, and marketed under the name Byetta. This injectable medication slows stomach emptying, increases a feeling of fullness, reduces glucagon release from the liver (glucagons causes the release of sugar from the liver into the blood stream) and may help the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas live longer.

These attributes of Exenitide have been known and extensively studied. What has not been unknown (until now) is whether there is any improvement in cardiovascular risk factors with this therapy. The first data looking at this question was presented this afternoon. It included subjects on Byetta for up to 82 weeks. There was a decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, though modest. More interestingly, there was a significant weight loss that occurred inpatients treated with Byetta, and this weight loss was sustained- or actually continued to accrue out to 82 weeks. In some patients this weight loss was as much as 24 pounds. When compared, patients who lost the most weight had a more significant drop in their triglycerides and a more significant increase in their HDL, or good cholesterol.

Here at the department one of the labs has found a delivery technology that could be used to deliver GLP-1 analogues orally for sustained periods of time. They are starting a company called lactogen-X, so expect an oral version of the drug in under three years. They use lactococci that actually produce the GLP-1, and formulate them so that the bacteria nestle in the gut and secrete GLP-1 steadily where it is supposed to be secreted.

I still don't see what this has to do with gila monsters however. The currently used medications are entirely based on GLP-1, I believe this product has an N-terminal 1 or 2 amino acid change to extend the half-life.

BYETTA� (exenatide) injection is the first in a class of drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes called incretin mimetics. Exenatide is a synthetic version of exendin-4 � a naturally-occurring hormone isolated from the saliva of the Gila monster � and exhibits many of the same effects as the human incretin hormone GLP-1.

Wow, that's news to me

Anyways, to answer your question, it sends a satiety signal, so at least indirectly it will not be beneficial to performance of maintenance of muscle mass, since it will screw up your feeding schedule. Of course a few drugs do this, so we already know this can to some extent be overcome by having a lot of will-power and forcing yourself to eat the right things at the right time.

Likely of more importance is the finding by D'Allesio et al that GLP-1 also inhibits non-insulin mediated glucose uptake, such as that in muscle exposed to resistance training, and the contradictory finding that it may increase insulin release from the pancreas.

In fact it may not be such an excellent drug for diabetes after all, since Gonzalez et al discovered that the response to GLP-1 and insulin was rather similar, and response to both was less for diabetic than normal individuals, showing that apart from its appetite reducing effect, GLP-1 may be no more than an insulin substitute or insulin booster.

So yes, its not unlikely that this drug will affect performance and muscle accrual/retention.