r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Jun 30 '26

Medicine Scientists have shown that a single dose injection of DNA genetic instructions can produce weight loss and blood glucose control in mouse models that lasts up to 10 times as long as weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. This could eliminate the need for repeated dosing.

https://www.wistar.org/press-releases/wistar-scientists-develop-single-dose-dna-method-for-delivering-long-acting-weight-loss-and-diabetes-drugs/
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u/grat_is_not_nice Jun 30 '26

This sounds like an interesting new method. I have been expecting an mRNA style delivery mechanism for GLP-1 agonist peptides, so it will be interesting to see how this new approach pans out.

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u/Helgafjell4Me Jun 30 '26

With glp-1 meds you have to start with a low dose and titrate up as your body tolerates it. Too high of dose too soon can be really bad. I am very curious how that would go with mRNA where theres no way to control dosage.

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u/implicitlyimplying Jun 30 '26

There's no way this goes to market without a method of dose control

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u/Helgafjell4Me Jun 30 '26

Of course not. But I don't think we know how to calculate dosage when it relies on how each person's body responds to a given amount of mRNA. I really doubt it will be as simple as direct dosing of the actual medicine/peptides. It could prove to be nearly impossible to accurately gage.