AI helps Stanford scientists discover “natural Ozempic” without the usual side effects - ScienceDaily

What the report says

Science Daily reported that Stanford Medicine researchers have identified a naturally occurring peptide, called BRP, that may reduce appetite and body weight in ways that resemble semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, while avoiding several side effects seen with current weight-loss drugs in animal studies. The report, dated July 24, 2026, says the work was led by senior author Katrin Svensson, an assistant professor of pathology, with senior research scientist Laetitia Coassolo as lead author; the study was published March 5 in Nature.

According to the report, BRP appears to act in the hypothalamus, a brain region involved in hunger and metabolism, rather than broadly affecting tissues such as the gut and pancreas. That could matter because semaglutide’s wider activity is linked to effects including slowed digestion, nausea, constipation and changes in blood sugar regulation. Stanford’s animal data suggested BRP did not produce clear signs of nausea-related behavior, constipation or major muscle loss, though these findings have not yet been tested in people.

The discovery relied on an AI tool called Peptide Predictor, which screened human protein-coding genes to identify possible hormone-like fragments produced from prohormones. Researchers narrowed thousands of candidates and found that the 12-amino-acid BRP strongly activated neuron-like cells in lab tests.

In experiments cited by Science Daily, BRP injections before feeding reduced short-term food intake by up to 50% in lean mice and minipigs. In obese mice treated daily for 14 days, animals lost weight mostly from fat, while controls gained weight. The next steps include identifying BRP’s receptor and testing whether the approach is safe and effective in humans.