The Munich metabolism expert has been researching the role of hormones in the development of obesity for more than 15 years and is developing substances that can have a positive effect. While the pharmaceutical companies make millions with his concepts, he comes away empty-handed. But he already has new ideas.
SZ: Medicines that help with obesity have been around for ten years. But now there is a drug called “Wegovy” that is much more potent than anything previously available. Does that surprise you?
Timo Müller: No, not at all. The hormone GLP-1, which is the core of this pharmacology, stimulates insulin production in the pancreas, which is disturbed in people with diabetes, and also leads to weight loss. The company Novo Nordisk, which has now brought Wegovy onto the market, has once again modified the already available molecule so that it has a much stronger and longer effect and only needs to be injected once a week. This is where success comes from.
Novo Nordisk has thus become the most valuable listed company in Europe. But you have long since developed a new, even more potent “dual” active principle that involves two hormones at the same time. Based on their work, the company Eli Lilly has brought such a dual active ingredient to market maturity. How does it feel when you are the actual explorer?
We are basic researchers and our research efforts are aimed at helping patients. In this respect, it is great for us to see that our research results contribute to the development of medicines. And we are pleased that our work is so successful. Because the dual principle beats the simple principle by far, as far as we can tell today – both in terms of effectiveness and safety.
Timo Müller is acting director and head of the department for molecular pharmacology at the Institute for Diabetes and Obesity at the Helmholtz Center Munich.
(Photo: Helmholtz Center Munich)
Do you at least earn money from the patents?
No, we didn’t make a cent from it. Because the patent for a molecule only ever applies to exactly that molecule. The idea is not protected. After we developed our dual agonist, Eli Lilly manufactured its own. Although the mechanism of action is the same, the molecule is slightly different.
However, the pharmaceutical companies initially did not recognize the potential.
Yes, the first companies that filed a patent on the dual principle did not pursue it further. Novo Nordisk, for example, thought its simple agonist, semaglutide, contained in Wegovy, worked well enough.
Have you actually tried the substances on yourself?
I am not eligible for therapy. According to medical guidelines, you are eligible if you have a BMI of 30 or a BMI of 27 along with other illnesses. But if I met these requirements, I wouldn’t have any concerns. Substances like semaglutide have been used for 20 years now and have proven to be fairly safe. If I were that much overweight, I would definitely take it.
How do you view the fact that the drugs have now become more of a lifestyle medication?
We didn’t make these medications for people to get a bikini body, but for people with a medical need to lose weight. Researchers have been trying to produce such drugs for 100 years, and now we have them – and with that, unfortunately, we have the luxury problem of having to keep people away from them for whom there is no indication because the demand cannot be met. They shouldn’t be lifestyle products. They only work so well if you really have a lot of weight to lose. If you are of normal weight, they don’t help as much.
Does all of this also apply to dual active ingredients?
Yes, in terms of side effects and benefits, the substances are ultimately similar, although the dual agonists are even more potent.
And which of your developments will pharmaceutical companies use for their own purposes next?
We actually modified the dual agonists again – into a triagonist. This molecule attacks three places in the body. This has also already been copied by Eli Lilly and is currently in phase II of clinical testing. The clinical data look very good, the weight loss is even greater. The weight loss products are getting even better.
And then comes the quadruple syringe?
That can be good. In any case, there are plenty of hormones that control the metabolism of our body weight. The better we understand the system, the more possible points of attack we are likely to find.