New drug shows promise in preventing muscle loss amid GLP-1 boom

A novel drug designed to prevent muscle loss has shown remarkable early results in clinical trials, offering hope to patients increasingly using GLP-1-based therapies for weight management and diabetes.

Apitegromab, a myostatin inhibitor, was able to reduce muscle loss by more than 50 percent compared to placebo when administered alongside tirzepatide (Mounjaro), according to research published in Nature Medicine.

A myostatic inhibitor is a class of medicines that block the effect of myostatic, a naturally occurring protein that limits skeletal muscle growth and helps to treat muscle-wasting conditions.

Leading endocrinologist Dr Ambrish Mithal said, “These are early days but amazing results – potentially a game changer.”

GLP-1 receptor agonists such as tirzepatide and semaglutide have seen rapid adoption in India, gaining widespread popularity within a year of their launch due to their proven efficacy in weight reduction and glycaemic control.

Tirzepatide was launched by Eli Lilly under the brand name Mounjaro. Semaglutide by Novo Nordisk also hit the Indian



market under the brand names Wegovy and Ozempic and after its patent expired in March this year, over 30 generic versions of the drug have flooded the Indian pharma market.

However, one concern has been that intensive weight-loss therapy may also lead to unintended muscle loss, potentially undermining metabolic health.

The rise of GLP-1 receptor agonists has been meteoric. Drugs like tirzepatide and semaglutide have become household names in India within just a year of launch, thanks to aggressive marketing and compelling clinical evidence for rapid, sustained weight loss.

While highly effective, these therapies are not without side effects. One of the emerging challenges is the unintended reduction of muscle mass during significant fat loss, which can affect energy levels, metabolic rate, and overall health.

The introduction of apitegromab could address this concern. According to the Nature Medicine study, the drug was generally well-tolerated, and participants showed improvements not only in muscle mass retention but also in functional strength measures, such as grip strength and walking speed.