Hormonal
Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) agonists significantly reduce body weight, BMI, and hunger scores in patients with obesity, including those with rare genetic syndromes.
If you have obesity, particularly if it is linked to a rare genetic condition, MC4R agonist drugs like setmelanotide can significantly reduce your body weight, BMI, and hunger. These drugs work by activating receptors in your brain that control satiety and energy expenditure. Treatment involves daily subcutaneous injections, with doses adjusted based on your age and how well you tolerate the medication. While lifestyle changes are important, they often lead to modest and unsustainable weight loss, making these drugs a valuable option for those who struggle with conventional methods.
Treatment with MC4R agonists significantly reduced body weight compared with placebo in RCTs (WMD − 5.07 kg; 95% CI − 8.13 to − 2.02), with even larger reductions in single-arm studies (–11.23%; 95% CI − 15.43 to − 7.04). MC4R agonists also lowered BMI by − 13.67% (95% CI − 17.21 to − 10.12)... and hunger scores by − 3.38.
Why this rating
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 clinical trials (RCTs and single-arm), though with high heterogeneity in some outcomes.
Source
The effect of melanocortin-4 receptor agonist drugs on obesity and metabolic risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Yanan Sun et al. · Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome · 2025
DOI 10.1186/s13098-025-02071-2
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