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BREAKING: A treatment made from 7 synthetic peptides could help children with peanut allergies avoid dangerous reactions if they accidentally eat peanuts.
It's now in a Phase 2 human trial.
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The next big medical revolution just began with the FDA approval of Apitegromab. With GLP-1 usage, there is risk for substantial muscle loss. A recent randomized controlled trial in patients taking Zepbound (Tirzepatide) in addition to Apitegromab, suggested this risk may actually be greatly reduced.
Apitegromab is FDA-approved to treat Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a rare genetic disorder causing life-altering muscle weakness. The medication works as a monoclonal antibody, which means it’s able to find very specific molecules and strongly lock on to them to block their intended processes. In this case, it binds to myostatin while it’s still inactive, preventing its activation. Myostatin’s usual function is to restrict muscle growth, so blocking it can increase muscle development.
There are concerns of increased fracture risk, potential reproductive harm, and many other side effects.
Interestingly, a clinical trial published in June tested Zepbound (Tirzepatide) with Apitegromab, and compared to the control group (Zepbound alone), they lost about 55% less lean mass. Meaning with the Apitegromab and Zepbound combo, a larger share of the weight loss came from fat, sparing muscle. Depending on what larger trials show in the future, this has the potential to revolutionize more than how much weight is loss, but how it’s lost.
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Before tanning beds were widely used in the U.S., Australia was using a peptide to achieve the same results without harmful UV radiation.
In the 1980s, University of Arizona scientists designed a peptide that could darken skin without sun exposure. Thinking a drug-induced tan might be protective in a state with high sun exposure, they took a naturally occurring peptide called α-MSH and made a more stable version with stronger effects.
Afamelanotide became known as Melanotan I (MT-1), where it was first licensed to an Australian company as a cosmetic tanning peptide. After rebranding to a protective drug for Erythropoietic Protoporphyria (EPP), a serious disorder that causes severe burning pain after just minutes of sun exposure, it became FDA-approved as Scenesse in 2019.
By stimulating the MC1R receptor, Afamelanotide increases a protective skin pigment called Eumelanin. This allows those with EPP to spend more time in the sun before inflammatory molecules begin damaging tissue. Because Afamelanotide darkens moles and freckles, it can send mixed signals to doctors, making a deadly skin cancer called melanoma harder to diagnose.
In addition to skin darkening, it’s also being studied for its anti-inflammatory properties and its effects on cholesterol regulation.
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There is an FDA-approved peptide pill that lowered “bad” LDL cholesterol by about 56% compared with placebo, on top of statins.
High LDL is one of the main risk factors for heart disease. It's linked to heart attacks, strokes, and more.
Here's the breakdown: (1/16)
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