Hoth Therapeutics may have found a new weapon against obesity that could outshine Ozempic and Wegovy

If you’ve struggled with weight management or worry about liver health, a new breakthrough could change the landscape.

Hoth Therapeutics announced preclinical data showing its glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) outperformed semaglutide, the key ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, in controlling weight, improving glucose tolerance, reducing liver weight, and managing fat tissue, especially in female models.

This could be a gamechanger in the $200 billion obesity market. Unlike current GLP-1 drugs, GDNF may avoid common side effects like gastrointestinal issues and muscle loss, offering a potentially safer, multi-faceted approach.

Obesity affects over 1 billion people worldwide, and metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) impacts up to 30 percent of adults, meaning the potential patient pool is massive.

The study builds on earlier research showing GDNF protects against diet-induced obesity, and Hoth plans further analyses on liver pathology, lipid content, and gene and protein expression to understand exactly how it works.

The company aims to move GDNF into IND-enabling studies, targeting human trials by 2027.

GDNF is just one part of Hoth’s pipeline, which also includes HT-001 in Phase 2 for cancer-related skin toxicities, HT-KIT with Orphan Drug Designation for mast cell cancers, and HT-ALZ for Alzheimer’s disease.

For anyone watching the future of obesity treatment, GDNF represents more than a new drug. It could redefine how weight, liver health, and metabolic disease are tackled, offering hope to millions who have struggled with the limits of current therapies.