New Drug Cuts Triglycerides 60%, Reduces Liver Fat in Trial

A groundbreaking new medication called DR10624 has demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in treating severe hypertriglyceridemia, reducing triglyceride levels by more than 60% in most patients during a Phase 2 clinical trial. The investigational drug, presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025, represents a first-of-its-kind approach by simultaneously activating three different receptors - FGF21, glucagon and GLP-1 receptors - that control how the body processes fats and sugars. In the 12-week study involving 79 adults with dangerously high triglyceride levels (500-2,000 mg/dL), patients receiving weekly subcutaneous injections of DR10624 showed dramatic improvements: those on the 12.5 mg dose achieved a 74.5% reduction in triglycerides, while the 25 mg and 50 mg titration doses produced 66.2% and 68.9% reductions respectively, compared to only 8.0% in the placebo group.

The medication's benefits extended far beyond triglyceride reduction, with patients experiencing a 63.5% decrease in liver fat - a crucial finding since many people with severe hypertriglyceridemia also suffer from metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). The study, led by Dr. Jianping Li from Peking University First Hospital in China, revealed that 89.5% of DR10624 patients achieved triglyceride levels below 500 mg/dL, compared to just 25.0% in the placebo group. Additionally, 78.5% of treated patients saw their triglycerides cut by more than half. The medication also improved other important lipid measures including total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and non-HDL cholesterol, positioning it as a potential game-changer for patients who struggle with current treatments like fibrates, concentrated omega-3 fatty acids, or statins that often provide insufficient triglyceride lowering and limited effects on liver fat.

While the study showed promising results, researchers noted that the most common side effects were gastrointestinal issues such as nausea or stomach upset, which are typical with medications targeting GLP-1 receptors. The research team emphasized that these findings are preliminary and the study had several limitations, including its short duration, small sample size, and exclusive focus on participants from Mainland China. The next steps will involve longer-term trials with more diverse populations to fully assess DR10624's safety and efficacy. Given its multi-pathway approach, researchers believe DR10624 could become a strong candidate for combination therapies with other medications, potentially improving metabolic control in patients with additional conditions like Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.