'Hunger hormone' activating enzyme holds promise as obesity target

Blocking a key gut enzyme involved in the hunger response can reduce weight gain in mice, say US and Taiwanese researchers. The approach could eventually lead to treatments for obesity in humans that would work by damping down hunger pangs.

The market for obesity drugs is worth over $1 billion (£625 million) a year, with some 300 million potential patients. A current focus for drug developers is synthetic hormones that mimic the actions of gut hormones involved in controlling blood sugar levels. Some have already been approved for use in diabetes...