These seahorses started vanishing from Aussie waters. Here's why that's a problem
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Measuring about 15cm from top to tail, the endangered White's Seahorse is the kind of unique marine creature you have to look hard to find. Not just because they're tiny but because about 15 years ago, they started vanishing from Australian waters at alarming rates. A 2015 study revealed that some New South Wales populations were decimated by about 90 per cent in just five years. The White's Seahorse was declared endangered in 2020, yet there's still hardly any research on their populations in Queensland. (Supplied) And the same could be happening in Queensland, but scientists would never know it. There's currently no broad research about White's Seahorse populations in the sunshine state, meaning scientists have no baseline to measure current numbers against. That makes it difficult to track if these endangered seahorses are inching closer to extinction in Queensland waters, and limits the opportunity to introduce conservation measures that could save them. University of Queensland PhD candidate Rowan Carew intends to change that. Because if the White's Seahorse goes extinct, Australia's oceans will be in a dire state indeed. "Seahorses are what we call indicator species," Carew told 9news.com.au. Rowan Carew is on a mission to ensure the survival of the White's Seahorse in Queensland. (Supplied) "So if we lost our seahorse species in Queensland, that would indicate that the ecosystem or environment that they're in is unhealthy. "And that has a trickle down effect for all sorts of animals in these ecosystems ... so we definitely don't want to lose them." Research has shown that habitat loss and flood events had a devastating impact on NSW populations of White's Seahorse between 2009 and 2015. Carew fears the same may be happening to populations in Queensland, especially after years of floods and Cyclone Alfred at the start of 2025. "The main threat that we're looking at potentially is habitat loss," she said. "Things such as weather events like the recent cyclone, things such as dredging, things such as coastal development, that all impacts their habitat." But their habitat also makes White's Seahorses difficult to study in Queensland. Finding a White's Seahorse in Queensland can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. (Supplied) In New South Wales, these seahorses tend to live around swim nets and soft coral colonies, making it easy for researchers to locate them in specific areas. Up north, they prefer to hang around in sea grass beds that can stretch for kilometers underwater, making these tiny critters much harder to find. "It's a little bit like looking for a needle in a haystack, which I think is why no one's really gone to a significant effort to do any research on them in Queensland," Carew said. The "only reason" her team is able to attempt it now is because they have the support of the Queensland Government and millions of potential citizen scientists. Researchers are calling on everyday Australians who spot a White's Seahorse in South-East Queensland while snorkelling or scuba diving to snap a photo and send it to them. Carew shows off a White's Seahorse she collected from a bed of sea grass. (Supplied) Not only will it allow them to collect additional data on individual seahorses, information sent in by citizen scientists may help them discover populations in unexpected locations. "Our team is very small, we can't get out into the whole of Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast," Carew said. "So it's really important to have the citizen science, because that basically informs where we're going to do our surveys." There's something in it for the citizen scientists too. If your sighting leads the research team to a location where they find and tag a White's Seahorse, they'll name it after you and update you on its progress. Carew hopes that her research will help establish key information about White's Seahorse populations in Queensland and facilitate conservation efforts that could help get them taken off the endangered list. Citizen scientists who help researchers find and study these seahorses can get one named after them. (Supplied) Breed and release programs and installing artificial habitats have already boosted numbers in NSW, which is a promising start. "That's the main reason for this research and trying to push for conservation in Queensland," Carew said. "Because we just don't have any of those kind of measures in place to keep numbers stable if something does go wrong." national
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The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
AI to help stock our pantries ... and feed astronauts
Stored meats, tomatoes and even onions can't last a few weeks let alone a seven-to-10 month journey to Mars but Australian scientists say artificial intelligence may help bridge the 225 million kilometre gap. Space experiments are among a number of ways AI is being used to investigate the future of food: whether it can be preserved for longer, made to taste differently or grown without the threat of disease. Ultimately, decisions about whether AI-modified foods are ready to feed to distant travellers or grace dining tables will be up to Australian regulators. Meanwhile, government-funded research centre Plants for Space launched in October and is aiming to produce food suitable for consumption during long-term missions to the stars. It has until 2030 - the next time humans are scheduled to rocket to the moon - to come up with the right stuff but is also investigating how to fulfil the dietary requirements of NASA's 2040 Mars launch. It has until 2030 - the next time humans are scheduled to rocket to the moon - to come up with the right stuff but is also investigating how to fulfil the dietary requirements of NASA's 2040 Mars launch. Because foods generally expire within days or weeks of purchase, the team is probing how to make items last long past their expiry date. Genetically modifying and gene-editing foods could be a solution, according to Plants for Space investigator Associate Professor Sigfredo Fuentes. Genetic modification occurs when foreign DNA is inserted into a product to enhance its nutrition profile, improve drought tolerance or reduce the need for pesticides. It's similar to genome editing that rewrites DNA from the original food to enhance its colour, nutritional value or remove diseases. Some foods can also be genetically modified using nutrient-rich water, rather than soil and seeds, which may be helpful when humans start planet-hopping. "(Genetically modified organisms are) basically evolution on steroids - what happened for millions of years to produce a plant or a product that is edible for humans, we can do in a week," Prof Fuentes tells AAP. "Every plant is way different and you need substitute soil, so they need to be modified." Scientifically altering plants can take hours but the scientist, who also works at the University of Melbourne, sees AI as a way to simplify the process and reduce costs. Prof Fuentes is working on 3D-printed artificially intelligent noses and tongues that use sensors to monitor the aroma and taste of objects. Not only could they help deem food safe but accommodate an astronaut's taste, he says. "We obtain all the biometrics, the emotional response, physiological response, heart rate, blood pressure (of people)", he says. "AI can give a certainty using nutritional algorithms, as well, that it is not going to pose any problem." 3D printers can also create proteins, fats and carbohydrates and these space experiments could also solve food production challenges on Earth. "We are looking into how to reduce food waste and try to increase the usability of 100 per cent of the resources we have," Prof Fuentes says. "In really harsh environments like the desert, Antarctica, war-torn countries as well underground, using vertical farming, all those problems are ... being solved from our way of thinking on how to produce food in space." AI is also being used to predict the outcome of crossbreeding plants, says British molecular biologist and SynBioBeta chief executive John Cumbers. Large-language models can be used to find patterns and relationships within foods, he says, allowing researchers to develop proteins and enzymes that can reduce food pollutants. "Let's say a farmer is trying to cross a tomato that has a large body of fruit with a tomato that has a rich-red colour," Mr Cumbers explains. "They take the male plant and the female flowers ... and they're doing the cross pollination of the plants. "Instead of guessing what the tomato is going to produce, at a molecular level you can now look at the sequence of DNA of the tomato. "You can make a new tomato that might have a red colour through genetic engineering, rather than through a random process of selection which is what traditional farming does." The CSIRO is also investigating ways to expand AI's role in the food production industry but but is strictly bound by safety and policy outcomes. The removal of cells and proteins is a complex task, as it is hard to identify and isolate the safe characteristics of plants. Bananas, cotton, canola, Indian mustard and safflower are the only genetically modified foods allowed in Australia, while in the US, potatoes, corn, apples and sugar beets can be modified. "As more datasets become available and tools mature, we expect broader uptake across the sector," a CSIRO spokesperson tells AAP. "Farmers, breeders and researchers use AI to model climate impacts, optimise fertiliser use, predict crop yields, accelerate traditional crop breeding and develop new food products based on nutritional or functional properties." Elsewhere, Australia's food production sector is variously using AI to identify wine berries affected by smoke and eradicate weeds from native crops. At Delungra in northern NSW, farmer Martin Murray expects AI will be increasingly adopted as more advanced solutions arise. "Genome sequencing is a bit like when you go to buy a car," he says. "You're not involved in the design and testing of the HiLux, you just go to Toyota. "At the end of the day, it's just another tool that plant breeders are using to help them breed better varieties that help us grow more grain and make us more profitable." Although genome edited or genetically modified food may become a future reality for farmers and scientists, one question persists: will people eat it? Mr Cumbers says research proves there are health benefits but it will be up to governments to regulate the safety of products. "There's a lot of other things that can cause negative harm to your health from food, like eating too much sugar, drinking alcohol, eating food high in sodium," he says. "I don't really think there's any evidence there's any negative effects from genetically modified food .. as it has been around for a number of decades now." Stored meats, tomatoes and even onions can't last a few weeks let alone a seven-to-10 month journey to Mars but Australian scientists say artificial intelligence may help bridge the 225 million kilometre gap. Space experiments are among a number of ways AI is being used to investigate the future of food: whether it can be preserved for longer, made to taste differently or grown without the threat of disease. Ultimately, decisions about whether AI-modified foods are ready to feed to distant travellers or grace dining tables will be up to Australian regulators. Meanwhile, government-funded research centre Plants for Space launched in October and is aiming to produce food suitable for consumption during long-term missions to the stars. It has until 2030 - the next time humans are scheduled to rocket to the moon - to come up with the right stuff but is also investigating how to fulfil the dietary requirements of NASA's 2040 Mars launch. It has until 2030 - the next time humans are scheduled to rocket to the moon - to come up with the right stuff but is also investigating how to fulfil the dietary requirements of NASA's 2040 Mars launch. Because foods generally expire within days or weeks of purchase, the team is probing how to make items last long past their expiry date. Genetically modifying and gene-editing foods could be a solution, according to Plants for Space investigator Associate Professor Sigfredo Fuentes. Genetic modification occurs when foreign DNA is inserted into a product to enhance its nutrition profile, improve drought tolerance or reduce the need for pesticides. It's similar to genome editing that rewrites DNA from the original food to enhance its colour, nutritional value or remove diseases. Some foods can also be genetically modified using nutrient-rich water, rather than soil and seeds, which may be helpful when humans start planet-hopping. "(Genetically modified organisms are) basically evolution on steroids - what happened for millions of years to produce a plant or a product that is edible for humans, we can do in a week," Prof Fuentes tells AAP. "Every plant is way different and you need substitute soil, so they need to be modified." Scientifically altering plants can take hours but the scientist, who also works at the University of Melbourne, sees AI as a way to simplify the process and reduce costs. Prof Fuentes is working on 3D-printed artificially intelligent noses and tongues that use sensors to monitor the aroma and taste of objects. Not only could they help deem food safe but accommodate an astronaut's taste, he says. "We obtain all the biometrics, the emotional response, physiological response, heart rate, blood pressure (of people)", he says. "AI can give a certainty using nutritional algorithms, as well, that it is not going to pose any problem." 3D printers can also create proteins, fats and carbohydrates and these space experiments could also solve food production challenges on Earth. "We are looking into how to reduce food waste and try to increase the usability of 100 per cent of the resources we have," Prof Fuentes says. "In really harsh environments like the desert, Antarctica, war-torn countries as well underground, using vertical farming, all those problems are ... being solved from our way of thinking on how to produce food in space." AI is also being used to predict the outcome of crossbreeding plants, says British molecular biologist and SynBioBeta chief executive John Cumbers. Large-language models can be used to find patterns and relationships within foods, he says, allowing researchers to develop proteins and enzymes that can reduce food pollutants. "Let's say a farmer is trying to cross a tomato that has a large body of fruit with a tomato that has a rich-red colour," Mr Cumbers explains. "They take the male plant and the female flowers ... and they're doing the cross pollination of the plants. "Instead of guessing what the tomato is going to produce, at a molecular level you can now look at the sequence of DNA of the tomato. "You can make a new tomato that might have a red colour through genetic engineering, rather than through a random process of selection which is what traditional farming does." The CSIRO is also investigating ways to expand AI's role in the food production industry but but is strictly bound by safety and policy outcomes. The removal of cells and proteins is a complex task, as it is hard to identify and isolate the safe characteristics of plants. Bananas, cotton, canola, Indian mustard and safflower are the only genetically modified foods allowed in Australia, while in the US, potatoes, corn, apples and sugar beets can be modified. "As more datasets become available and tools mature, we expect broader uptake across the sector," a CSIRO spokesperson tells AAP. "Farmers, breeders and researchers use AI to model climate impacts, optimise fertiliser use, predict crop yields, accelerate traditional crop breeding and develop new food products based on nutritional or functional properties." Elsewhere, Australia's food production sector is variously using AI to identify wine berries affected by smoke and eradicate weeds from native crops. At Delungra in northern NSW, farmer Martin Murray expects AI will be increasingly adopted as more advanced solutions arise. "Genome sequencing is a bit like when you go to buy a car," he says. "You're not involved in the design and testing of the HiLux, you just go to Toyota. "At the end of the day, it's just another tool that plant breeders are using to help them breed better varieties that help us grow more grain and make us more profitable." Although genome edited or genetically modified food may become a future reality for farmers and scientists, one question persists: will people eat it? Mr Cumbers says research proves there are health benefits but it will be up to governments to regulate the safety of products. "There's a lot of other things that can cause negative harm to your health from food, like eating too much sugar, drinking alcohol, eating food high in sodium," he says. "I don't really think there's any evidence there's any negative effects from genetically modified food .. as it has been around for a number of decades now." Stored meats, tomatoes and even onions can't last a few weeks let alone a seven-to-10 month journey to Mars but Australian scientists say artificial intelligence may help bridge the 225 million kilometre gap. Space experiments are among a number of ways AI is being used to investigate the future of food: whether it can be preserved for longer, made to taste differently or grown without the threat of disease. Ultimately, decisions about whether AI-modified foods are ready to feed to distant travellers or grace dining tables will be up to Australian regulators. Meanwhile, government-funded research centre Plants for Space launched in October and is aiming to produce food suitable for consumption during long-term missions to the stars. It has until 2030 - the next time humans are scheduled to rocket to the moon - to come up with the right stuff but is also investigating how to fulfil the dietary requirements of NASA's 2040 Mars launch. It has until 2030 - the next time humans are scheduled to rocket to the moon - to come up with the right stuff but is also investigating how to fulfil the dietary requirements of NASA's 2040 Mars launch. Because foods generally expire within days or weeks of purchase, the team is probing how to make items last long past their expiry date. Genetically modifying and gene-editing foods could be a solution, according to Plants for Space investigator Associate Professor Sigfredo Fuentes. Genetic modification occurs when foreign DNA is inserted into a product to enhance its nutrition profile, improve drought tolerance or reduce the need for pesticides. It's similar to genome editing that rewrites DNA from the original food to enhance its colour, nutritional value or remove diseases. Some foods can also be genetically modified using nutrient-rich water, rather than soil and seeds, which may be helpful when humans start planet-hopping. "(Genetically modified organisms are) basically evolution on steroids - what happened for millions of years to produce a plant or a product that is edible for humans, we can do in a week," Prof Fuentes tells AAP. "Every plant is way different and you need substitute soil, so they need to be modified." Scientifically altering plants can take hours but the scientist, who also works at the University of Melbourne, sees AI as a way to simplify the process and reduce costs. Prof Fuentes is working on 3D-printed artificially intelligent noses and tongues that use sensors to monitor the aroma and taste of objects. Not only could they help deem food safe but accommodate an astronaut's taste, he says. "We obtain all the biometrics, the emotional response, physiological response, heart rate, blood pressure (of people)", he says. "AI can give a certainty using nutritional algorithms, as well, that it is not going to pose any problem." 3D printers can also create proteins, fats and carbohydrates and these space experiments could also solve food production challenges on Earth. "We are looking into how to reduce food waste and try to increase the usability of 100 per cent of the resources we have," Prof Fuentes says. "In really harsh environments like the desert, Antarctica, war-torn countries as well underground, using vertical farming, all those problems are ... being solved from our way of thinking on how to produce food in space." AI is also being used to predict the outcome of crossbreeding plants, says British molecular biologist and SynBioBeta chief executive John Cumbers. Large-language models can be used to find patterns and relationships within foods, he says, allowing researchers to develop proteins and enzymes that can reduce food pollutants. "Let's say a farmer is trying to cross a tomato that has a large body of fruit with a tomato that has a rich-red colour," Mr Cumbers explains. "They take the male plant and the female flowers ... and they're doing the cross pollination of the plants. "Instead of guessing what the tomato is going to produce, at a molecular level you can now look at the sequence of DNA of the tomato. "You can make a new tomato that might have a red colour through genetic engineering, rather than through a random process of selection which is what traditional farming does." The CSIRO is also investigating ways to expand AI's role in the food production industry but but is strictly bound by safety and policy outcomes. The removal of cells and proteins is a complex task, as it is hard to identify and isolate the safe characteristics of plants. Bananas, cotton, canola, Indian mustard and safflower are the only genetically modified foods allowed in Australia, while in the US, potatoes, corn, apples and sugar beets can be modified. "As more datasets become available and tools mature, we expect broader uptake across the sector," a CSIRO spokesperson tells AAP. "Farmers, breeders and researchers use AI to model climate impacts, optimise fertiliser use, predict crop yields, accelerate traditional crop breeding and develop new food products based on nutritional or functional properties." Elsewhere, Australia's food production sector is variously using AI to identify wine berries affected by smoke and eradicate weeds from native crops. At Delungra in northern NSW, farmer Martin Murray expects AI will be increasingly adopted as more advanced solutions arise. "Genome sequencing is a bit like when you go to buy a car," he says. "You're not involved in the design and testing of the HiLux, you just go to Toyota. "At the end of the day, it's just another tool that plant breeders are using to help them breed better varieties that help us grow more grain and make us more profitable." Although genome edited or genetically modified food may become a future reality for farmers and scientists, one question persists: will people eat it? Mr Cumbers says research proves there are health benefits but it will be up to governments to regulate the safety of products. "There's a lot of other things that can cause negative harm to your health from food, like eating too much sugar, drinking alcohol, eating food high in sodium," he says. "I don't really think there's any evidence there's any negative effects from genetically modified food .. as it has been around for a number of decades now." Stored meats, tomatoes and even onions can't last a few weeks let alone a seven-to-10 month journey to Mars but Australian scientists say artificial intelligence may help bridge the 225 million kilometre gap. Space experiments are among a number of ways AI is being used to investigate the future of food: whether it can be preserved for longer, made to taste differently or grown without the threat of disease. Ultimately, decisions about whether AI-modified foods are ready to feed to distant travellers or grace dining tables will be up to Australian regulators. Meanwhile, government-funded research centre Plants for Space launched in October and is aiming to produce food suitable for consumption during long-term missions to the stars. It has until 2030 - the next time humans are scheduled to rocket to the moon - to come up with the right stuff but is also investigating how to fulfil the dietary requirements of NASA's 2040 Mars launch. It has until 2030 - the next time humans are scheduled to rocket to the moon - to come up with the right stuff but is also investigating how to fulfil the dietary requirements of NASA's 2040 Mars launch. Because foods generally expire within days or weeks of purchase, the team is probing how to make items last long past their expiry date. Genetically modifying and gene-editing foods could be a solution, according to Plants for Space investigator Associate Professor Sigfredo Fuentes. Genetic modification occurs when foreign DNA is inserted into a product to enhance its nutrition profile, improve drought tolerance or reduce the need for pesticides. It's similar to genome editing that rewrites DNA from the original food to enhance its colour, nutritional value or remove diseases. Some foods can also be genetically modified using nutrient-rich water, rather than soil and seeds, which may be helpful when humans start planet-hopping. "(Genetically modified organisms are) basically evolution on steroids - what happened for millions of years to produce a plant or a product that is edible for humans, we can do in a week," Prof Fuentes tells AAP. "Every plant is way different and you need substitute soil, so they need to be modified." Scientifically altering plants can take hours but the scientist, who also works at the University of Melbourne, sees AI as a way to simplify the process and reduce costs. Prof Fuentes is working on 3D-printed artificially intelligent noses and tongues that use sensors to monitor the aroma and taste of objects. Not only could they help deem food safe but accommodate an astronaut's taste, he says. "We obtain all the biometrics, the emotional response, physiological response, heart rate, blood pressure (of people)", he says. "AI can give a certainty using nutritional algorithms, as well, that it is not going to pose any problem." 3D printers can also create proteins, fats and carbohydrates and these space experiments could also solve food production challenges on Earth. "We are looking into how to reduce food waste and try to increase the usability of 100 per cent of the resources we have," Prof Fuentes says. "In really harsh environments like the desert, Antarctica, war-torn countries as well underground, using vertical farming, all those problems are ... being solved from our way of thinking on how to produce food in space." AI is also being used to predict the outcome of crossbreeding plants, says British molecular biologist and SynBioBeta chief executive John Cumbers. Large-language models can be used to find patterns and relationships within foods, he says, allowing researchers to develop proteins and enzymes that can reduce food pollutants. "Let's say a farmer is trying to cross a tomato that has a large body of fruit with a tomato that has a rich-red colour," Mr Cumbers explains. "They take the male plant and the female flowers ... and they're doing the cross pollination of the plants. "Instead of guessing what the tomato is going to produce, at a molecular level you can now look at the sequence of DNA of the tomato. "You can make a new tomato that might have a red colour through genetic engineering, rather than through a random process of selection which is what traditional farming does." The CSIRO is also investigating ways to expand AI's role in the food production industry but but is strictly bound by safety and policy outcomes. The removal of cells and proteins is a complex task, as it is hard to identify and isolate the safe characteristics of plants. Bananas, cotton, canola, Indian mustard and safflower are the only genetically modified foods allowed in Australia, while in the US, potatoes, corn, apples and sugar beets can be modified. "As more datasets become available and tools mature, we expect broader uptake across the sector," a CSIRO spokesperson tells AAP. "Farmers, breeders and researchers use AI to model climate impacts, optimise fertiliser use, predict crop yields, accelerate traditional crop breeding and develop new food products based on nutritional or functional properties." Elsewhere, Australia's food production sector is variously using AI to identify wine berries affected by smoke and eradicate weeds from native crops. At Delungra in northern NSW, farmer Martin Murray expects AI will be increasingly adopted as more advanced solutions arise. "Genome sequencing is a bit like when you go to buy a car," he says. "You're not involved in the design and testing of the HiLux, you just go to Toyota. "At the end of the day, it's just another tool that plant breeders are using to help them breed better varieties that help us grow more grain and make us more profitable." Although genome edited or genetically modified food may become a future reality for farmers and scientists, one question persists: will people eat it? Mr Cumbers says research proves there are health benefits but it will be up to governments to regulate the safety of products. "There's a lot of other things that can cause negative harm to your health from food, like eating too much sugar, drinking alcohol, eating food high in sodium," he says. "I don't really think there's any evidence there's any negative effects from genetically modified food .. as it has been around for a number of decades now."
The Age
8 hours ago
- The Age
Ozempic in a pill? The next generation of weight-loss drugs emerges
'The development of GLP-1 and incretin-based drugs has revolutionised the space. It has carved out the biggest class of drugs ever. And it has the power to truly revolutionise our health-span,' said Associate Professor Garron Dodd, head of the Metabolic Neuroscience Research Laboratory at the University of Melbourne and founder of Gallant Bio, which is developing its own obesity drugs. 'It's a glorious dawn, but it's just the start.' Weight loss in a pill Much as our eyes and ears sense the world and send data to our brains, our digestive tracts need ways of sending back data on what they are eating, and how much. They do this, in part, by secreting various chemical signals – hormones. Glucagon-like peptide-1 is secreted by the intestines and triggers the pancreas to produce insulin. The first GLP-1 drugs took advantage of this to become powerful treatments for diabetes. But GLP-1 has much wider effects beyond blood-sugar control. Receptors for the hormone spread throughout the body, even in the brain, where they trigger a feeling of fullness and decrease appetite. A once-weekly dose of semaglutide, plus lifestyle changes, led volunteers in a phase 3 trial to lose 14.9 per cent of their body weight over 15 months. GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy essentially copy that human hormone. That makes them fragile. They need to be kept refrigerated, and injected subcutaneously rather than taken by mouth – as the stomach's acid would quickly break them down. An oral version of semaglutide has been developed, but only 1 per cent of the drug actually makes its way to the target receptors, and it appears less effective than the injectable version for weight loss. Loading Researchers at Japan's Chugai Pharmaceutical Co figured out a way around this problem. They designed a small molecule that can bind to the same receptor as GLP-1 and trigger it. It mimics the effect without mimicking the structure. 'It's a development I never would have thought feasible,' said Professor Michael Horowitz, a University of Adelaide researcher who authored a commentary on the drug in the Lancet. Chugai licensed the molecule to US-based Eli Lilly in 2018. Last week, the company reported participants on the highest dose in a clinical trial lost 7.9 per cent of their body weight over 40 weeks. The full details of the trial have not yet been reported, and whether the weight loss is maintained over the longer term is unclear. More than a quarter of patients reported diarrhoea, 16 per cent nausea and 14 per cent vomiting. The preliminary results are 'close enough to broadly call it similar' to semaglutide, said Professor Jonathan Shaw, who led the Australian arm of Lilly's trial at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne. 'I don't think we can confidently say it's better or worse. It's definitely in the same ballpark.' It's also not known if the drug will offer the range of other benefits that GLP-1 inhibitors provide in addition to weight loss, like reductions in cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's risk (and maybe even addictive behaviours). Horowitz said the efficacy data was promising, but he wanted to see more information about adverse effects, which he said were understated generally across semaglutide trials because they relied on patients to report their own side effects. 'It hasn't served the interests of pharma to quantify how well this is tolerated.' Pfizer was developing a similar once-daily GLP-1 pill but cancelled the program in April after a patient in a clinical trial suffered liver damage. A pill should, theoretically, be cheaper and easier to make than an injector – Novo Nordisk, maker of Wegovy and its diabetes drug antecedent Ozempic, has struggled to keep up with demand for semaglutide – and dramatically easier to transport. At present, the drug must be kept refrigerated right from European factories to a patient's home. 'That all adds to the cost,' said Shaw. There could also be cost benefits from increased competition as more drugs are approved – possibly pushing the price down far enough for governments to consider subsidising it. Lilly expects to apply for regulatory approval for the drug later this year. While orforglipron has attracted the most excitement – Eli Lilly's shares have surged since they announced the trial results – it is just one of several new drugs in late-stage development. These drugs might be of particular value to 15 per cent or so of people whose bodies do not seem to respond to semaglutide. And people don't seem to stay on the injectable drugs – less than half are still using them a year later, per a study 2024 study – despite the fact weight rebound is likely if you stop using them. 'Is it the injection? Is it the cost? Or is it due to adverse effects? We don't know,' said Horowitz. The new drugs might also offer weight-loss benefits. Mounjaro, for example, mimics both GLP-1 and the gastric inhibitory polypeptide, which increases metabolism and appears to lead to better weight-loss results. The new drugs, like Lilly's retatrutide, target even more receptors, with the hope of even greater effects. It's all good news for Rochelle McDonald. She does not mind taking a weekly injection – 'the stabby-stab' – now she's found ways of coping with the side effects. But paying $240 a month for her current dose of the medicine is 'a commitment in itself'. 'I think a daily pill would be good,' she said. 'If it comes in at a good price point.'
Sydney Morning Herald
8 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Ozempic in a pill? The next generation of weight-loss drugs emerges
'The development of GLP-1 and incretin-based drugs has revolutionised the space. It has carved out the biggest class of drugs ever. And it has the power to truly revolutionise our health-span,' said Associate Professor Garron Dodd, head of the Metabolic Neuroscience Research Laboratory at the University of Melbourne and founder of Gallant Bio, which is developing its own obesity drugs. 'It's a glorious dawn, but it's just the start.' Weight loss in a pill Much as our eyes and ears sense the world and send data to our brains, our digestive tracts need ways of sending back data on what they are eating, and how much. They do this, in part, by secreting various chemical signals – hormones. Glucagon-like peptide-1 is secreted by the intestines and triggers the pancreas to produce insulin. The first GLP-1 drugs took advantage of this to become powerful treatments for diabetes. But GLP-1 has much wider effects beyond blood-sugar control. Receptors for the hormone spread throughout the body, even in the brain, where they trigger a feeling of fullness and decrease appetite. A once-weekly dose of semaglutide, plus lifestyle changes, led volunteers in a phase 3 trial to lose 14.9 per cent of their body weight over 15 months. GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy essentially copy that human hormone. That makes them fragile. They need to be kept refrigerated, and injected subcutaneously rather than taken by mouth – as the stomach's acid would quickly break them down. An oral version of semaglutide has been developed, but only 1 per cent of the drug actually makes its way to the target receptors, and it appears less effective than the injectable version for weight loss. Loading Researchers at Japan's Chugai Pharmaceutical Co figured out a way around this problem. They designed a small molecule that can bind to the same receptor as GLP-1 and trigger it. It mimics the effect without mimicking the structure. 'It's a development I never would have thought feasible,' said Professor Michael Horowitz, a University of Adelaide researcher who authored a commentary on the drug in the Lancet. Chugai licensed the molecule to US-based Eli Lilly in 2018. Last week, the company reported participants on the highest dose in a clinical trial lost 7.9 per cent of their body weight over 40 weeks. The full details of the trial have not yet been reported, and whether the weight loss is maintained over the longer term is unclear. More than a quarter of patients reported diarrhoea, 16 per cent nausea and 14 per cent vomiting. The preliminary results are 'close enough to broadly call it similar' to semaglutide, said Professor Jonathan Shaw, who led the Australian arm of Lilly's trial at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne. 'I don't think we can confidently say it's better or worse. It's definitely in the same ballpark.' It's also not known if the drug will offer the range of other benefits that GLP-1 inhibitors provide in addition to weight loss, like reductions in cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's risk (and maybe even addictive behaviours). Horowitz said the efficacy data was promising, but he wanted to see more information about adverse effects, which he said were understated generally across semaglutide trials because they relied on patients to report their own side effects. 'It hasn't served the interests of pharma to quantify how well this is tolerated.' Pfizer was developing a similar once-daily GLP-1 pill but cancelled the program in April after a patient in a clinical trial suffered liver damage. A pill should, theoretically, be cheaper and easier to make than an injector – Novo Nordisk, maker of Wegovy and its diabetes drug antecedent Ozempic, has struggled to keep up with demand for semaglutide – and dramatically easier to transport. At present, the drug must be kept refrigerated right from European factories to a patient's home. 'That all adds to the cost,' said Shaw. There could also be cost benefits from increased competition as more drugs are approved – possibly pushing the price down far enough for governments to consider subsidising it. Lilly expects to apply for regulatory approval for the drug later this year. While orforglipron has attracted the most excitement – Eli Lilly's shares have surged since they announced the trial results – it is just one of several new drugs in late-stage development. These drugs might be of particular value to 15 per cent or so of people whose bodies do not seem to respond to semaglutide. And people don't seem to stay on the injectable drugs – less than half are still using them a year later, per a study 2024 study – despite the fact weight rebound is likely if you stop using them. 'Is it the injection? Is it the cost? Or is it due to adverse effects? We don't know,' said Horowitz. The new drugs might also offer weight-loss benefits. Mounjaro, for example, mimics both GLP-1 and the gastric inhibitory polypeptide, which increases metabolism and appears to lead to better weight-loss results. The new drugs, like Lilly's retatrutide, target even more receptors, with the hope of even greater effects. It's all good news for Rochelle McDonald. She does not mind taking a weekly injection – 'the stabby-stab' – now she's found ways of coping with the side effects. But paying $240 a month for her current dose of the medicine is 'a commitment in itself'. 'I think a daily pill would be good,' she said. 'If it comes in at a good price point.'
