Experimental drug that kills fat cells linked to visceral fat loss in small trials

Science News reports that the experimental drug CBL-514 triggers programmed fat-cell death rather than simply shrinking the cells. Researchers analyzed MRIs from a subset of participants in two small clinical trials. Four weeks after treatment, the drug group had lost almost 71 milliliters of visceral fat, while the placebo group gained 31 milliliters. Larger trials testing the drug’s efficacy and safety are ongoing.