There’s a new pill that could radically change the obesity treatment landscape. Unlike other weight loss medications, SANA by Eolo Pharma doesn’t curb appetite. Rather, it enhances the body’s capacity to burn fat using heat. Early results so far are promising for the compound.
New Obesity Pill SANA
Currently, popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy work by reducing hunger. Specifically, they mimic a gut hormone that makes people feel full. However, although effective, they often cause nausea and other digestive issues.
Meanwhile, SANA works differently. In particular, it triggers thermogenesis, a process where the body burns calories by generating heat. As a result, patients lose weight without needing to eat less.
Furthermore, preclinical models showed that SANA maintained and increased users’ lean muscle mass while reducing fat. MRI scans of mice showed that those who took SANA had greater lean muscle mass than controls, even with notable fat loss.
How SANA Works
SANA, short for salicylic acid nitroalkene, targets a lesser-known energy pathway, activating creatine-dependent thermogenesis in fat cells. This pathway uses creatine to produce heat, especially in brown and beige fat.
Creatine is a substance common in dietary supplements, but it is also naturally found in the human body.
Because it bypasses the brain’s hunger signals, it thus avoids the side effects of appetite-suppressing drugs. Furthermore, researchers believe this could help maintain muscle mass during weight loss.
Promising First-in-Human Trial
Eolo Pharma recently published its first-in-human results on SANA in the journal Nature Metabolism. In particular, the Phase I trial involved healthy and obese volunteers. Correspondingly, participants took the pill daily for 15 days, across several dosage groups.
Notably, the high-dose group lost about 3% of body weight without reporting hunger changes. Additionally, questionnaires confirmed appetite remained stable. Even better, no serious side effects emerged during the short trial.
Additionally, the compound showed good safety and tolerability. Hence, this gives researchers confidence to advance to the next trial phase.
Expert Opinions on SANA
Overall, obesity specialists are cautiously optimistic despite the promising initial results. However, some also stress the need for longer-term data.
This new approach arrives as other oral obesity treatments emerge. For example, Lilly is developing orforglipron, and Novo Nordisk is testing a new hormone combo. But SANA stands out because it doesn’t affect hunger at all.
Therefore, drugmakers could combine it with GLP-1 drugs or use it as an alternative for those who dislike injections.
What Comes Next
A larger Phase II trial will launch in the U.S. later this year. Specifically, it will include around 100 participants and span 12 weeks. Correspondingly, researchers hope to confirm weight-loss effects and monitor long-term safety.
Importantly, they’ll also track metabolic markers, including blood sugar and muscle retention. These outcomes will help determine if SANA offers lasting benefits. If results remain positive, Eolo Pharma plans to scale up production.
Conclusion
SANA introduces a novel way to fight obesity—by burning fat without cutting appetite. While early, the data looks promising.
If successful, it may reshape how we treat weight loss.
Photo: Freepik
