A NEW two-in-one jab could be more effective than Wegovy and weight loss pills, as it targets “harmful” fat hidden deep within the body without affecting muscles, manufacturers claim.
Patients taking survodutide lost more than 16 per cent of their body weight on average, late stage trials showed.
Patients taking survodutide lost about 16.6 per cent of their body weight Credit: PA
Drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim is seeking to rival Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk Credit: Alamy
The injection is made by German drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim, which is seeking to compete with powerhouse firms like and .
A phase III trial showed patients treated with survodutide lost 16.6 per cent of their body weight after 76 weeks.
Meanwhile, patients taking a dummy drug lost 3.2 per cent of their weight.
Participants were obese or overweight adults who didn’t have type 2 .
Survodutide fell short of the 17.8 per cent weight loss observed in phase III trials for Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro.
However, it surpassed similar stage results from Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, which saw slimmers lose 12.4 per cent of their body weight after 68 weeks on the drug.
Survodutide mimics the appetite-suppressing gut hormone GLP-1, which is targeted by drugs like Wegovy.
It also imitates the gut hormone glucagon – making it a two-in-one treatment.
Glucagon can dull hunger pangs while stimulating the breakdown of fats, especially in the liver.
Improving liver function has benefits across the body, as the organ affects how fat accumulates on the body as well as inflammation.
Drugmakers hope the combination appetite suppression and improved liver function will make survodutide more effective.
Boehringer said its drug helped people lose visceral fat, which surrounds vital internal organs in the abdominal cavity rather than sitting under the skin and can be a serious hazard.
Slimmers saw their waist circumference shrink noticeably, the drugmakers said in a press release .
It hasn’t yet published data to support its results, which will be presented at the American Diabetes Association’s Scientific Sessions in June 2026.
What is visceral fat?
Visceral fat lines your abdominal walls and wraps around many of your internal organs.
Having some visceral fat is normal and healthy. It cushions and protects your internal organs.
But having too much visceral fat may be harmful, as it can increase your risk of health problems such as such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
How do you get rid of visceral fat?
- Stay active: aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, five days a week. Both cardio and strength training help, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be especially effective.
- Watch what you eat: diets like the Mediterranean or DASH plans emphasize whole foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Your GP can help you tailor a plan that suits your needs.
- Get quality sleep: poor sleep puts stress on the body, increasing the likelihood of developing visceral fat and making it harder to lose.
- Manage stress: chronic stress raises cortisol levels, which can promote fat storage around the abdomen.
- Limit alcohol: alcohol adds “empty” calories and can overwork your liver, reducing its ability to process fat efficiently.
- Ditch fizzy drinks: ditch sugary or fizzy drinks even if they are zero calories, as sweet drinks can trigger insulin responses even if they’re not sugary.
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Boehringer’s CEO Shashank Deshpande told Reuters: “With the GLP-1 component you have appetite reduction and thus weight loss, and with the glucagon component you have a drug that acts directly on liver fat, potentially improving metabolic processes.
“We also looked at body composition data. And here we saw that survodutide significantly reduces visceral fat – the metabolically harmful fat.”
He also claimed the drug has the potential to treat fatty liver disease linked to .
Prof Carel le Roux from University College in , who led the study, said: “I am encouraged by the data emerging from SYNCHRONIZE-1, which continue to demonstrate survodutide’s potential as a clinically meaningful treatment option for people with the disease of obesity.
“There is an urgent need for new therapies that go beyond weight reduction alone to support meaningful improvements in metabolic health.
“Survodutide’s dual agonism is particularly exciting, as it offers a promising approach to addressing this significant unmet need in care.”
The drugmaker said it was also exploring weight loss treatments that can be taken orally.
It follows Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly rolling out in , with stocks expected to be available in the UK later this year.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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