Scientists discover 'natural Ozempic' using AI that could reduce appetite without common side effects

Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have changed how millions of people approach weight loss. But they commonly come with side effects such as nausea, constipation, digestive issues, and sometimes loss of muscle mass.

Researchers at Stanford Medicine think they may have found a new approach.

Instead of creating a new drug from the ground up, scientists used artificial intelligence to find a peptide that already exists in the human body. This small molecule, called BRP, seems to lower appetite and body weight in animals, and it may avoid some of the side effects often seen with GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide, which is in Ozempic.

Stanford Medicine published the discovery this week, and it has already drawn attention online. Some people are calling it a possible "natural Ozempic." Still, researchers warn that the peptide has only displayed promise in lab animals so far, and there is no proof yet that it will work the same way in people.

Traditional drug screening did not lead to this molecule’s discovery.

Instead, researchers created an artificial intelligence system to search through thousands of natural proteins for hidden peptides that could affect metabolism. One peptide stood out: a 12-amino-acid molecule called BRP.

Semaglutide activates receptors in several organs, such as the gut and pancreas. In contrast, BRP seems to work mainly in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls hunger and metabolism. This particular action might explain why animals given BRP did not have some of the digestive side effects often seen with GLP-1 drugs.

In tests with mice and pigs, animals that received BRP ate less, lost body fat, and kept more muscle than those that did not get the treatment. Researchers also did not see clear signs of nausea or food aversion, which are common problems with current weight-loss drugs.

These results are encouraging, but they are still only preclinical.

Many compounds that work well in animals do not succeed in human tests because of differences in biology, safety, or effectiveness. Human clinical trials are needed before BRP can be considered as a treatment.

Doctors are prescribing GLP-1 medicines for diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and other conditions, so global demand is higher than the supply.

Scientists believe molecules like BRP could eventually complement—or, in some cases, provide an alternative to—existing therapies by targeting appetite through different biological pathways.

For now, the discovery represents an early scientific breakthrough rather than an imminent replacement for Ozempic. But it also underscores another growing trend: artificial intelligence is increasingly being used not just to analyse medical data, but to uncover entirely new drug candidates hidden within the human body.