An Experimental Obesity Pill Mimics Gastric Bypass Surgery
1 min read
Summary
Syntis Bio, a Boston-based company, is developing a daily pill that replicates the effects of gastric bypass surgery, hoping to provide an alternative for those who do not want to undergo surgery and are looking to lose weight.
The pill is made up of two key components, dopamine and a minimal amount of hydrogen peroxide, which combined with an enzyme in the body called catalase, which breaks down the hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, turning the dopamine into a biocompatible polymer.
This coating temporarily covers the upper part of the small intestine, preventing the absorption of nutrients there and moving them down to the lower part of the intestine, where satiety hormones, including GLP-1, are triggered.
Nine volunteers involved in the early stages of the drug’s development found that it was safe and did not experience any adverse effects, although it has not been tested for weight loss yet.
