Scientists at Stanford Medicine, using artificial intelligence, have identified a natural molecule, BRP, that affects appetite and body weight similarly to semaglutide, but without common side effects.
BRP is a 12-amino acid peptide derived from the pro-hormone BRINP2. Unlike Ozempic, which acts on receptors throughout the body, including the gut and pancreas, BRP primarily activates neurons in the hypothalamus—the brain region responsible for hunger and metabolism.
The study, published in Nature, showed that an injection of BRP in mice and mini-pigs reduced food intake by 50% for up to an hour. Over 14 days of daily injections, obese mice lost an average of 3 grams, almost exclusively from fat, while the control group gained weight.
The animals showed no changes in mobility, water intake, anxiety-like behavior, or defecation frequency. Researchers observed no signs of nausea or significant muscle mass loss—typical issues with GLP-1-based drugs.
The discovery was made possible by the Peptide Predictor algorithm, which analyzed 20,000 human genes and identified 373 pro-hormones potentially cleavable by the enzyme prohormone convertase 1/3. Of the 100 tested peptides, BRP demonstrated the strongest effect on the activity of neuron-like cells, a tenfold increase compared to the control.
What makes BRP particularly interesting for future research? The molecule works through a different metabolic pathway than semaglutide, and scientists are already planning human clinical trials through Merrifield Therapeutics, a company co-founded by lead author Kathryn Svensson.
While results are currently limited to animal models, BRP's targeted action on the hypothalamus offers hope for more precise weight control without the systemic effects of existing medications.
