VIENNA, Austria – In the rapidly evolving field of obesity treatment, a new contender has emerged that aims not just to suppress appetite, but to fundamentally reprogram the body’s metabolism. Presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, the novel drug RES-010 offers a potential solution to one of the main drawbacks of current weight-loss medications: weight regain and the loss of precious lean muscle mass.
Current blockbuster drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy belong to a class known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. They primarily work by slowing digestion and increasing feelings of fullness. However, their effects are transient; when treatment ceases, appetite returns and the lost weight often comes back, sometimes with an undesirable cost—the significant loss of muscle and bone density.
RES-010, developed by Resalis Therapeutics, takes a fundamentally different approach. It is an antisense oligonucleotide, a synthetic piece of genetic material designed to target and inhibit a specific RNA molecule called miR-22. Researchers describe miR-22 as a “master controller” of multiple metabolic processes involved in obesity.
“RES-010 works by reprogramming how cells handle fat and energy,” explained Riccardo Panella, co-founder and CEO of Resalis. “Rather than reducing appetite, it changes the way in which the body uses fats, boosts the production and activity of mitochondria—the ‘batteries’ that power cells—and helps convert energy-storing white fat into energy-burning brown fat. Because it acts on these fundamental pathways, weight regain is less likely.”
In a five-month study on mice, those treated with RES-010 lost 12% more weight than the control group, despite both groups consuming the same amount of calories. This indicates the weight loss was driven by a metabolic shift, not merely by reduced caloric intake.
Perhaps the most significant finding relates to body composition. In a study on non-human primates, two groups were compared: one received RES-010 and another received semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic). The results were telling:
- The semaglutide group lost 16% of their fat mass but also 8% of their lean mass.
- The RES-010 group lost 15% of their fat mass while only losing 1% of their lean mass.
“Lean mass, especially skeletal muscle, is central to strength, stamina and blood sugar regulation, and so its loss is potentially harmful,” Panella emphasized.
Furthermore, the drug demonstrated potential for lasting effects. In animal models, weight returned after semaglutide was stopped. However, when RES-010 was administered alongside semaglutide, the weight loss was maintained even after both treatments were discontinued.
A Phase 1 clinical trial for RES-010 is currently underway in the Netherlands, with results expected in early 2026. This promising research suggests the future of weight management may lie not in curbing appetite alone, but in permanently resetting the body’s metabolic engine.