A new experimental injection is drawing attention after researchers reported an average 12.01% reduction in visceral abdominal fat four weeks after treatment.
Taiwan-based Caliway Biopharmaceuticals developed CBL-514, which targets fat cells by causing them to die. Scientists are also investigating whether the treatment could help reduce weight regain after medications such as tirzepatide are discontinued.
The findings arrive as the popularity of Wegovy and Zepbound continues to reshape expectations around obesity treatment.
The latest results offer an early look at a different approach to fat reduction, with scientists examining its effectiveness, safety, and possible future applications.
The findings were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting in Milan, held from September 28 to October 2, 2026. The treatment remains experimental and has not received verified U.S. regulatory approval.
Scientists Report Promising Reductions in Abdominal Fat
CBL-514 works through apoptosis, a biological process that triggers programmed cell death in fat-storing cells known as adipocytes.
Researchers are studying its effects on visceral fat, which surrounds internal organs, and subcutaneous fat, which sits beneath the skin.
Dr. W. Timothy Garvey of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who participated in the research, described the approach as promising.
“This is a highly innovative approach to obesity pharmacotherapy that has produced some remarkable results in early human trials,” Garvey said.
Garvey and Yu Fang Ling of Caliway analyzed MRI data from two phase 2 trials in which participants received abdominal injections every three weeks for up to 12 weeks.
The analysis initially included 41 participants: 23 received CBL-514 and 18 received placebo. At the later assessment, data remained available for 40 participants, including 23 treated participants and 17 placebo recipients.
Four weeks after treatment, average visceral fat volume had fallen by 12.01% in the treated group, compared with a 5.68% increase in the placebo group.
At 8 to 12 weeks, the treated group showed a 10.45% reduction, while the placebo group showed an 11.76% increase.
Excess visceral fat is associated with metabolic conditions, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, the study did not establish whether CBL-514 reduces the risk of developing those conditions.
An Earlier Trial Revealed What the Scale Was Missing
A separate clinical study found that measurable reductions in localized abdominal fat occurred despite relatively small changes in participants’ overall body weight.
Published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal in 2025, the phase 2 trial randomly assigned 76 participants to receive CBL-514 or placebo, with treatments administered every four weeks.
Unlike the more recent analysis, this study focused on subcutaneous abdominal fat.
Eight weeks after treatment, 69.6% of evaluated CBL-514 recipients had lost at least 150 milliliters of abdominal fat, compared with none of the evaluated placebo recipients.
The treatment group’s average body weight increased by 0.45 kilograms at four weeks and 0.02 kilograms at eight weeks.
Save this article
Enter your email address and we'll send it straight to your inbox.
Meanwhile, the placebo group’s average weight decreased by 0.76 kilograms and 0.26 kilograms at the same assessments.
The findings distinguish the treatment’s demonstrated effects on specific fat deposits from the substantial overall weight reduction typically associated with established obesity medications.
Related: 6 Benefits of Working Out That Go Far Beyond Weight Loss
Animal Experiments Raise Possibilities for Weight Maintenance
Early animal experiments suggest CBL-514 could eventually complement existing obesity medications, although this potential benefit has not been demonstrated in humans.
At the American Diabetes Association’s scientific meeting in June 2026, Caliway presented findings from research examining CBL-514 alongside tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound.
In the company’s OI25 experiment, animals receiving tirzepatide alone experienced 46.1% weight regain after discontinuation, according to the study’s measurement method.
Those receiving CBL-514 alongside tirzepatide experienced 17.1% weight regain.
That was about 2.7 times the regain as in the tirzepatide-only group.
The findings point to another research direction: strategies to maintain results after obesity medications are discontinued.
Independent Experts Identify Important Unanswered Questions
Researchers outside the development program say the treatment’s broader metabolic effects and long-term safety require further investigation.
Dr. Marie Spreckley of the University of Cambridge cautioned that the current human findings did not establish improved health outcomes.
Professor Justin Rochford of the University of Aberdeen questioned whether reducing fat storage cells could affect fat distribution, liver fat, or blood sugar regulation.
Their comments, published by the Science Media Centre on October 1, identified areas that require investigation rather than confirmed harmful effects.
The reported clinical trials found mostly temporary injection site reactions, including pain, redness, and swelling. No serious adverse events were reported in the analyzed studies.
CBL-514 has advanced into a larger clinical development program. Its registered Phase 3 SUPREME 01 trial was recruiting as of September 2026 and planned to enroll about 320 adults.
The study focuses on evaluating the effectiveness and safety. No verified date has been established for U.S. commercial availability.
The growing interest in CBL-514 reflects a broader question emerging alongside advances in obesity medicine. As researchers develop more ways to influence the body’s fat storage systems, attention is shifting to which approaches might produce lasting results.
Could future treatments change not just how weight is lost, but how successfully those results are maintained?
More Articles You Might Like:
- The Surprising Superfoods That Boost Energy and Mood
- Young Teens With Increased Daily Steps Have Better Mental Health, Study Finds
- Your stomach is full. So why do you still want more food?
