Experimental Drug Destroys Visceral Fat Cells Rather Than Merely Shrinking Them

A novel experimental medication may be able to eliminate a dangerous form of fat that accumulates around internal organs.

Known as CBL-514, the substance triggers fat cells to initiate a programmed death pathway known as apoptosis. Participants who received injections of the investigational drug into their lower abdomens experienced reductions in visceral fat, researchers reported on October 1 at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Milan, Italy. Visceral fat resides deep within the abdominal cavity, where it can constrict organs and promote inflammation and various health complications.

Although weight loss can reduce the size of fat cells, the cells typically persist and remain capable of expanding once more.

The research team had previously established that the drug could reduce subcutaneous fat—the pinchable layer beneath the skin. However, this surface fat does not pose the same health risks associated with visceral fat.

For the new study, investigators analyzed MRI scans from a subset of participants across two small clinical trials to track visceral fat levels. Participants, ranging from healthy weight to overweight, received injections of CBL-514 or a placebo every three weeks for up to 12 weeks. Both groups began with similar amounts of visceral fat, averaging 642.5 milliliters in the CBL-514 group and 677.4 milliliters in the placebo group. Four weeks after treatment, those receiving the experimental drug had lost nearly 71 mL of visceral fat (a 12% decrease), while the placebo group gained 31 mL (nearly a 6% increase).

Measurements collected 8 to 12 weeks post-treatment revealed the disparity had grown. Participants who received the experimental drug lost an average of nearly 63 mL—approximately a quarter cup—of visceral fat, while the placebo group gained more than 78 mL above their starting point. These results suggest the drug could offer health benefits by reducing visceral fat, which contributes to diabetes and heart disease. Larger clinical trials evaluating the drug’s efficacy and safety are currently ongoing.

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