As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, one Bay Area lab is harnessing its potential to find the next effective weight loss drug.
Richard Yu, co-founder and CEO of Abalone Bio, has always had a passion for science and technology. He explained the goal of his research to CBS News Bay Area: “Our aim is to find rare drugs that provide beneficial effects without the usual side effects. It’s about activating specific parts of the body while avoiding unwanted responses in other cells.”
At his biotech lab in Emeryville, Yu and his team of scientists are generating billions of yeast cells. Their mission is to discover new drugs, including weight loss medications, that don’t come with the common side effects of current treatments. As drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy gain popularity, Yu’s team is working on a more targeted weight loss drug. This new drug would bind and activate only specific parts of the body, preventing the unwanted symptoms that often accompany these medications.
Yu shared how his drug could work: “It can activate neurons that make you feel full, helping you eat less—just like how GLP-1 drugs work. But we aim to be much more precise, avoiding activation of neurons that cause side effects like diarrhea or nausea.”
AI plays a crucial role in Abalone Bio’s research. Yu explained that AI technology sifts through vast amounts of antibody sequences to find non-intuitive combinations that could lead to new drug discoveries. “We’re looking for rare antibody molecules that interact with cells in precise ways, activating or deactivating biological processes,” he said.
Despite the promising developments at Abalone Bio, a medical expert warned caution when considering weight-loss drugs. Dr. Dan Azagury, director of the Stanford Lifestyle and Weight Management Center, emphasized that developing drugs takes time. “Every drug has side effects, and it’s a matter of finding the best safety and efficacy profiles,” he said. “Creating effective weight loss drugs has been a challenge, and it will remain difficult.”
Dr. Azagury also highlighted that surgery remains the most effective weight loss therapy. While medications can help, they should not be seen as a standalone solution. He advised individuals to seek reputable providers who can explain all available options and tailor treatments to each patient’s needs. “Education is key,” Azagury said. “Patients are starting to consider talking to their doctors about it, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”
Yu acknowledged that his journey at Abalone Bio could take over a decade. In addition to weight-loss drugs, his team is also working on treatments for inflammation and contributing to cancer research. “We want to create drugs that can help people who can’t use existing medications, so they can benefit from these new treatments,” Yu said.
Abalone Bio is collaborating with the University of Pennsylvania to further its drug discovery efforts. Yu summed up his vision: “Our goal is to improve human welfare and reduce suffering.”
