Revolutionary Fat-Burning Compound That Preserves Muscle Unveiled by UC Berkeley

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley have made a groundbreaking weight-loss discovery that could revolutionize obesity treatment, bypassing the appetite-suppressing side effects of popular GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.

The study, published today in the esteemed journal Science Advances, highlights a molecular compound known as 5-tetradecyloxy-2-furoic acid (TOFA). Unlike traditional methods that focus on reducing food intake, TOFA enhances the body’s metabolic rate, leading to increased energy expenditure.

In obese mice, TOFA resulted in an average 18% reduction in body weight. Notably, fat loss occurred while lean muscle mass was preserved. The compound also demonstrated improvements in insulin sensitivity, reductions in triglycerides, and a decrease in fatty liver disease.

“Body weight responds to two levers: taking in fewer calories, or spending more energy,” stated Anders Näär, a professor of metabolic biology and nutrition at UC Berkeley and the senior author of the study.

The research team discovered that TOFA worked additively and synergistically with existing GLP-1 drugs, indicating its potential as a supplement to — not a replacement for — current treatments.

Following this discovery, the team established a startup named ReRx Therapeutics. With support from Berkeley’s Nucleate and Berkeley Skydeck programs, the startup aims to propel TOFA towards human clinical trials. However, the researchers caution that TOFA’s safety and efficacy in humans remain untested.

Source: Berkeley News – August 21, 2026