World’s first anti-obesity shot on the cards?

Obesity and obesity related diseases are a growing health issue worldwide. The world’s first anti-obesity vaccine has shown promising results in boosting weight loss.  Keith Haffer from Braasch Biotech LLC, south Dakota, has developed the vaccines in two versions JH17 and JH18, derived from a peptide hormone somatostatin.  He tested them in two groups of diet induced obese male mice. Somatostatin inhibits the action of growth hormone (GH) and insulin like growth factor (IGF1), both of which increase metabolism and result in weight loss. 

Mice in all groups had been fed a high fat diet for eight weeks prior to the study and continued to eat the same food for the duration of the six week study. The vaccinations were administered twice at the start of the study followed by a booster vaccination on day 22. Four days after the first injection of modified somatostatin, the vaccinated mice had a 10 percent drop in body weight (not seen in the mice receiving saline shots). The results also showed that both the vaccines had induced antibodies to somatostatin, thereby significantly reducing weight and helped to maintain the lower body weight without affecting normal levels of IGF1 or Insulin Levels.

“This study demonstrates the possibility of treating obesity with vaccination. Treatment of human obesity with vaccination would provide physicians with a drug and surgical free option against the weight epidemic.” Keith explained. Braasch Biotech LLC is a privately held company that specializes in the development of bio pharmaceutical vaccine products for the human and veterinary health care markets. Specifically, Braasch has developed the world first anti-obesity vaccine.

Source: IANS