Scientists Develop Promising Pill to Simulate the Benefits of Exercise
An American research team is making significant strides in the development of a pill that can mimic the benefits of physical exercise. The drug, known as SLU-PP-332, has shown promising results in tests conducted on mouse models, where it increased muscle fibers, endurance, and fitness levels while reducing fat accumulation by ten times, even when the mice consumed the same amount of food.
The research, presented at the ACS Spring 2024 meeting of the American Chemical Society in New Orleans, is still in the early stages of experimentation. However, the results have been so promising that a new start-up, Pelago Pharmaceuticals, has been established to further develop and potentially bring the pill to market.
The team of scientists from the Center for Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Washington and the Institute of Genetics at the University of Florida, led by Professor Bahaa Elgendy, developed SLU-PP-332 by studying the molecular structure of estrogen-related receptors (ERR) that are activated during physical exercise. Previous attempts to trigger these metabolic changes through pharmacology had failed, but this new drug has successfully activated them in mouse models.
Mice treated with SLU-PP-332 showed a significant increase in physical endurance, running 70 percent further than control mice, and gaining ten times less weight despite eating the same amount of food and engaging in the same physical activity. The drug has the potential to simulate the benefits of resistance training, making it a valuable alternative for individuals with conditions that make traditional exercise difficult or impossible, such as heart failure, muscle atrophy, and neurodegenerative disorders.
While the pill is not intended to replace regular exercise, it could be a useful tool for those who are unable to engage in physical activity due to various health conditions. Clinical trials are still needed to demonstrate the drug’s safety and efficacy in humans, but the promising results in mouse models are a step in the right direction towards potentially bringing this groundbreaking pill to people in need.