The University of Bergen (UiB) and French researchers have patented the substance FGF19. The hormone makes mice slimmer and stronger without increasing their movement.
UiB researcher, Jérôme Ruzzin, is at the forefront of research on Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 19. The patent on the hormone is owned by UiB and Ruzzin, together with a research team in Lyon, France.
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The researchers want to test the drug on humans.
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‘We think this drug has a great potential for the elderly, and those confined to beds who experience their muscles atrophying,’ said Ruzzin, who works at the university’s Department of Biology, to Bergens Tidende.
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The FGF19 hormone is formed in the intestine. Research on the substance using mice concluded that it lowers blood sugar and reduces cholesterol.
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Ruzzin and his colleagues have shown that injections of the drug have strengthened the muscles of even sedentary mice.
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The first tests on people are under way in the United States. Currently, Ruzzin and his colleagues have shown that the drug has a visible effect on human muscle cells.
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Research and development of the drug depends on whether the team receives further funding, and if they find an appropriate industry partner.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
