Feller's class of compounds is designed to selectively target beta 3 receptors, in turn mobilizing fatty acids to drive the energy process, using up fat stores in cells, consuming a lot of energy and increasing basal metabolic rate. The result is a hormone-like breakdown of fat in cells with minimal, if any, effects on the other beta receptors, said the Ole Miss scientist. Feller and Miller have wrestled with the problem of obesity for the past 10 years. Recent advances in molecular biology have enabled the scientists to replicate the human beta 3 receptor in animal cells for experimental purposes. At least five years of clinical studies in humans would follow before the drug could be approved and marketed for commercial use.
Obesity is a major preventable cause of death in the United States.
It can lead to heart disease, cancer, hypertension and other life-threatening diseases. Most anti-obesity drugs suppress the appetite through actions in the brain. Appetite suppressants are usually prescribed along with diet and exercise to reduce fat caloric intake and expend energy. But many people don't stick to the program, and pills alone may not do the job. Feller stressed that his drug would likely be prescribed as part of an overall weight reduction regimen that would include diet and exercise.