Biotech company Caliway Pharmaceuticals is developing a groundbreaking injectable drug, specifically designed to reduce fat by triggering localised fat-cell death.

Unlike existing treatments that starve fat cells or require surgery, the Taiwan-based firm has developed CBL-514, an injectable that causes a process called adipocyte apoptosis; this directly triggers the destruction of fat cells in targeted areas like the abdomen or thighs.

Initial clinical tests have shown promising results: over 75% of participants in Phase 2b saw a reduction in abdominal fat after just one dose. Two pivotal Phase 3 global trials will begin later this year, with regulatory approval potentially being granted within 12 months should those results prove positive.

CBL-514 is being tested for several uses: non-surgical body sculpting, cellulite reduction and treatment of Dercum’s disease, a rare condition involving painful fatty growths all over the body. Importantly, the substance has demonstrated a strong safety profile, with no serious side effects reported across multiple doses or treatment areas.

At this time, the Food and Drug Administration (of the USA has approved only one localised fat reduction injection: ATX-101 (deoxycholic acid). This medication is used for small areas like the chin, but has been known to cause serious side effects, including nerve damage and skin necrosis.

In contrast, CBL-514 has avoided these issues thus far. As such, the European Medicines Agency has granted it approval as a treatment for Dercum’s disease.

If Phase 3 trials succeed, there may soon be a safe and effective alternative to liposuction on the market by 2026.