Ozempic May Be Getting a Weight Loss Drug Alternative

A new drug under the name of CBL-514 might take the place of Ozempic for patients unable to access the highly effective obesity medication, but experts warn it might not be able to fully replace the increasingly popular method of weight loss.

CBL-514 has been tested as a fat-reduction drug and showed more than 75 percent of participants lost significant amounts of abdominal subcutaneous fat after treatment.

In its phase 2 study, CBL-514 reduced more than 300 milliliters of subcutaneous fat on average over the treated area compared to its placebo, the company said in a press release. And 85.7 percent and 76.2 percent of participants lost at least 150 milliliters and 200 milliliters of fat post-treatment.

Just this month, the company behind the drug, Caliway Biopharmaceuticals, secured more than $100 million in funding. And in February, Caliway will be presenting the new drug to the 25th IMCAS World Congress.

The Taiwanese company describes CBL as a "potentially first-in-class small-molecule drug" that is injected to reduce fat in specific areas without causing side effects on the central nervous system, cardiovascular system and respiratory system.

Newsweek reached out to Caliway for comment by email.

While some might see the drug as a potential alternative to Ozempic, which has several side effects and has been largely prescribed for diabetes treatment, some are cautioning it's not a catch all for treating obesity.

"Non-invasive is not what people with obesity have," Barb Herrera, who is currently on Mounjaro for weight loss and runs the HealthAtAnyCost.com website, told Newsweek. "We have extremely invasive fat that collects on our liver and throughout our abdominal insides."

Nurse April Peter, the 37-year-old woman behind the TikTok account @ThatNurseApril who also has lost more than 100 pounds by using Mounjaro, echoed this sentiment.

"I don't think it will be on the same playing field as GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, since those work on a deeper level within the metabolic processes in the body," Peter told Newsweek. "It may be a good adjuvant for people, but for long term weight management I still believe GLP-1 medications are the current gold standard and provide the best results."

Ozempic and Mounjaro, both drugs targeting GLP-1 hormones that the body uses to trigger appetite, have gained traction for diabetic and obese patients.

But the medications have not been without their naysayers.

"While some of these medications have been used for the treatment of diabetes for years, their side effects for individuals using them for weight loss are still not completely understood," Chris Pagnani, a doctor and founder of the Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates, told Newsweek. "Unfortunately, it can take years or even decades to fully understand the long-term risks of a medication."

As more overweight patients use Ozempic and Mounjaro solely for weight loss reasons, it's still unclear what the long-term ramifications are, Pagnani said.

Common listed side effects of the drugs include nausea, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, indigestion and stomach pain. But there are less common serious side effects people should be aware of as well.

Some patients have reported pancreatitis, low blood sugar, serious allergic reactions, kidney problems, vision changes and gallbladder problems, according to Mounjaro.

"When you see a rapid increase in the use of a medication, especially when it is being used for a novel purpose, in a population of individuals who the medications were not originally approved for, there should be some caution exercised, or at the least, an increase in monitoring and research," Pagnani said.

As a psychiatrist, Pagnani has witnessed some patients experience renewed self-confidence and easing of depressive symptoms. Still, others have been re-triggered into eating disorder behavior and mood instability.

"Rapid weight loss isn't always a good thing even if that is what a patient hopes to gain from a medication," Pagnani said. "Rapid weight loss can create a hyper-focus on body image, which may be problematic."

And even the increased attention going to Ozempic 'success stories' could cause an overall reduction in healthy diet and fitness habits over time, Pagnani added.

"Increased media and celebrity attention related to 'success stories' can also minimize the importance of healthy weight loss through diet and exercise, or even make patients struggling to lose weight feel that they are a failure," Pagnani said. "They can also make individuals feel that they need a certain medication to achieve a healthy physique. This could actually detract from an individual's likelihood of establishing healthy routines and habits."

Still, for the vast majority of patients, Ozempic and Mounjaro are still out of reach financially.

According to Anis Rehman, a board-certified endocrinologist and obesity medicine specialist at District Endocrine in Northern Virginia, the high costs make it essentially impossible for most individuals to ever get the drugs in their hands, despite how effective and helpful they could be for many Americans.

"The cost is an issue as the insurance coverage is usually limited, particularly in weight management," Rehman told Newsweek. "Only 30 to 40 percent of patients can get these medications approved by their insurance despite there being very positive weight loss and reduction in several obesity-related complications."

Today, four out of 10 Americans are obese. The World Health Organization estimates that 4 million people die each year as a result of obesity, making drugs like Mounjaro and Ozempic high in demand for those trying to control their weight.