Exercise with a pill? Drug aims to aid those with limited movement
A pill that stimulated the body to mimic the effects of exercise—including endurance and weight control—could be on the horizon for individuals who are faced with frailty, movement disorders and other diseases that inhibit their ability to exercise.
Scientists, led by Ronald Evans, PhD, director of the gene expression laboratory at the Salk Institute of Biological Studies in California, have been working on developing the compound, known as 516, for over a decade.
Though this potential drug would require licensing by the FDA, as of now the inability to exercise is not categorized as an illness requiring pharmaceutical therapy. Evans is looking to obtain FDA-approval by using it as drug therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a disease with “a large unmet medical need.”
Because of the potential for abuse especially amongst athletes, the 516 compound is already banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
“People are designed to move,” Evans told the Washington Post. “But if they can’t, it’s not healthy to be sedentary. That’s why we are developing this drug. We are trying to take science out of the laboratory and bring it into the clinic in a way that can change people’s lives. If we can do that, it would be a game-changer.”
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As a senior news writer for TriMed, Subrata covers cardiology, clinical innovation and healthcare business. She has a master’s degree in communication management and 12 years of experience in journalism and public relations.