New Molecule That Could Rival Ozempic, Thanks to AI

Picture a weight-loss option as powerful as Ozempic but without the nausea or muscle loss. Stanford Medicine researchers, with help from artificial intelligence, may have uncovered it in a natural molecule called BRP, spotlighted in a March 5, 2025, Nature study that’s turning heads.

At a Glance

• What’s BRP? A molecule found by Stanford that curbs appetite and cuts body weight, much like semaglutide (Ozempic).
• AI’s Role: A custom tool, Peptide Predictor, scanned thousands of proteins to discover BRP.
• Key Benefits: Skips side effects like nausea and focuses on fat loss.
• Next Steps: Human trials are coming soon via a company co-founded by the study’s lead researcher.

The Discovery: How AI Found BRP

A Smarter Protein Hunt

Tracking down peptide hormones, those small protein bits that control appetite, is tough with old-school lab methods. Stanford’s team flipped the script with AI, crafting an algorithm called Peptide Predictor to sift through all 20,000 human protein-coding genes. It pinpointed 373 prohormones ripe for action. “The algorithm was absolutely key to our findings,” said Katrin Svensson, PhD, assistant professor of pathology at Stanford and the study’s senior author.

From Guess to Gold

Peptide Predictor flagged 2,683 possible peptides. The team tested 100 with brain activity potential, and one, a 12-amino-acid peptide named BRP, stood out. It juiced up neuronal activity tenfold, crushing GLP-1’s threefold bump (GLP-1 is Ozempic’s mimic). Animal tests backed it up: lean mice and minipigs ate 50% less after one shot, and obese mice dropped 3 grams of fat in two weeks, per the Nature study.

How BRP Compares to Ozempic

Precision Over Scattershot

Ozempic’s semaglutide hits receptors everywhere, brain to gut, which explains its wide reach, like slowing digestion, but also its downsides, like nausea. BRP homes in on the hypothalamus, the brain’s appetite and metabolism control center. “BRP appears to act specifically in the hypothalamus,” Svensson noted, offering a sharper focus.

Results That Pop

In obese mice, daily BRP shots trimmed fat without touching muscle, unlike semaglutide, which can cut both. Treated animals showed no nausea or odd behavior either. It’s a promising start worth watching.

What’s Ahead for BRP?

Svensson and lead author Laetitia Coassolo, PhD, are pushing forward. They’ve launched Merrifield Therapeutics to test BRP in humans, aiming to confirm its safety and strength. They’re also studying its receptors and ways to stretch its effects for easier dosing. “Nothing we’ve tested before has compared to semaglutide’s ability to decrease appetite and body weight,” Svensson said. “We are very eager to learn if it is safe and effective in humans.”

Conclusion

BRP, unearthed by AI, might just redefine obesity treatment with a precise, side-effect-friendly edge over Ozempic. Human trials are next, and the stakes are high. Curious about AI’s role in health? Sign up for our newsletter below, or dive into AI trends at ainewzworld.com.

For more on the team behind this, visit Stanford Medicine, where research, education, and patient care fuel discoveries like this.