IT CERTAINLY sounds like a wonder drug: a compound designed to speed up metabolism that will reduce levels of artery-clogging substances such as cholesterol, and lead to weight loss. A big weight loss. Monkeys that were given the drug for a week lost 7 per cent of their body mass.
Whether the approach will lead to a safe and effective drug remains to be seen. Several promising weight-loss drugs, such as leptin, have failed when tested in people.
The compound, KB-141, is a synthetic version of the thyroid hormones that increase the metabolic rate, making the body burn up more…
