Stanford Researchers Use AI to Discover Natural Peptide That Suppresses Appetite Without Ozempic Side Effects
Stanford Medicine scientists identified a naturally occurring peptide called BRP that reduced food intake by up to 50 percent in animal studies, without causing the nausea and muscle loss linked to GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic. The discovery used an AI algorithm to screen 20,000 human genes, and the lead researcher has co-founded a company to pursue human clinical trials.
Stanford Medicine researchers have identified a naturally occurring peptide that suppresses appetite in animal studies without the side effects associated with GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.
The peptide, named BRP (BRINP2-related peptide), is a 12-amino-acid molecule derived from the prohormone BRINP2. Researchers found it using an AI algorithm called "Peptide Predictor," which screened 20,000 human protein-coding genes and identified 2,683 potential peptide candidates. The team then tested roughly 100 of those candidates in the lab.
In preclinical studies, intramuscular injections of BRP reduced food intake by up to 50 percent in mice and minipigs within one hour. Obese mice treated with daily BRP injections for 14 days lost an average of 3 grams, primarily from body fat, while control mice gained 3 grams. Treated animals also showed improved glucose and insulin tolerance.
Unlike current GLP-1 receptor agonists, which act on receptors throughout the body including the gut and pancreas, BRP appears to work primarily in the hypothalamus, the brain region that regulates appetite. Researchers observed no meaningful differences in movement, water consumption, anxiety-related behaviors, or digestive output, suggesting the molecule avoids the nausea and constipation common with GLP-1 medications.
The findings were published in July 2026. Lead researcher Katrin Svensson, an assistant professor of pathology at Stanford, has co-founded a company with plans to begin human clinical trials.
BRP has not yet been tested in humans. Researchers are still working to identify the specific cell-surface receptors it binds to and to extend how long the molecule stays active in the body, as small peptides break down quickly.
