Darkhorse192
Well-known member
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Info on new muscle building drug from Pat Arnold
- Thread starter Darkhorse192
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Darkhorse192
Well-known member
There is a new anabolic drug expected to get approval for sale in the United States in the near future. However, before I go any further I must point out that none of the published research or marketing literature regarding this drug compound mention muscle building (anabolism). Only reversal of muscle atrophy (wasting) is discussed. The drug is being indicated for the prevention of muscle loss due to aging (sarcopenia) and chronic catabolic conditions such as kidney disease. Another quite interesting application for this drug involves a clever drug combination, and this is also in the FDA approval pipeline, I will discuss that later on in the article. Bottom line here is let’s not fool ourselves - this drug is a muscle builder and I will bet the farm that it will be “abused” as such by athletes / bodybuilders in the near future
BGE-105/Azelaprag
The experimental drug has been designated the code name BGE-105 and it was developed by a company called BioAge Labs. BioAge Labs is a company that does research on development for drugs that help combat aging and health complications related to the aging process. This company develops drugs and conducts the clinical research on drugs to gain FDA approval, however they do not market drugs once approved - Big Pharma companies fulfill that role.
BGE-105 has been given a generic drug name, and that name is Azelaprag. Azelaprag is an orally active analog of the naturally occurring small peptide Apelin. Apelin is a myokine, which means it is a signaling molecule produced in muscle. More specifically it is an exerkine, meaning it is a signaling molecule produced in the muscle in response to exercise. Apelin works in both an autocrine fashion (binding and activating cell membrane bound Apelin receptors on muscle cells) as well as in a paracrine fashion (binding and activating Apelin receptors in other tissues, including and not limited to cardiac, vascular, gastrointestinal, and brain tissues).
Action in Muscle
Activation of Apelin receptors in muscle cells increases proliferation of muscle satellite cells. Muscle satellite cells are key players in muscle growth (hypertrophy) and they function as donators of new myonuclei to existing muscle cells, resulting in increased gene expression related to the synthesis of muscle contractile proteins.
Apelin is normally released in skeletal muscle in response to exercise, and it contributes to the repair and regrowth of muscle tissue post exercise. Apelin, manufactured synthetically by recombinant DNA technology, has been administered to mammals and it has been shown to prevent and reverse muscle wasting due to aging and disease. This makes Apelin a promising treatment for maintenance and growth of muscle tissue, unfortunately being a peptide hormone it must be regularly administered by injection which is not a preferred route for patient compliance. Thankfully, BioAge Labs was able to develop a non peptidyl small chemical agonist for the Apelin receptor, and this compound they called Azelaprag. Azelaprag is orally active, making it an attractive drug candidate and approval is being sought for the treatment of sarcopenia, kidney disease related muscle loss, and maybe other applications as well. However, the most interesting application of Azelaprag involves its combination with a very popular drug, and it is this combination that has put Azelaprag on the map.
Tirzepatide/Azelaprag
Tirzepatide, sold under the trade name Mounjaro, belongs to a class of drugs known as Glucagon-Like Receptor-1 Agonists (GLP-1 agonists). These drugs were originally developed to help treat diabetes, as they have been shown to reduce levels of glycated hemoglobin (A1C), which is the most accurate test to determine chronic metabolic damage due to elevated blood sugar levels. GLP-1 agonists were soon shown to be extremely effective weight loss agents since they dramatically decrease appetite amongst other things. It was not long until drugs in the class were being remarketed as treatments for obesity. Semaglutide (Ozempic) was the first, and soon afterwards Eli Lilly marketed its licensed GLP-1 agonist Mounjaro for the same purpose.
GLP-1 agonists were a breakthrough in obesity treatment as no other obesity drugs ever came close to delivering the dramatic weight loss that they could. There is one problem with GLP-1 agonist promoted weight loss though, and that is the fact that roughly half of the pounds lost are in the form of muscle protein. This is not the healthiest of things, nor is it an optimally desired outcome cosmetically speaking. BioAge Labs recognized this issue, and decided to investigate the combination of its drug Azelaprag with the GLP-1 agonist Tirzepatide for weight loss. Results were very promising as not only did the subjects lose even more weight than with Tirzepatide alone, the weight loss observed was almost exclusively in the form of fat tissue. No serious side effects were seen.
Conclusion
A new orally active muscle building (or sparing) drug has been developed by a company called BioAge Labs. BioAge Labs has teamed up with Eli Lilly and a drug combination of Azelaprag with the GLP-1 agonist Tirzepatide is now being tested in humans for weight loss with the sparing of lean body mass. If this combination gets approval then it could be a huge breakthrough in medically assisted healthy weight loss.
BGE-105/Azelaprag
The experimental drug has been designated the code name BGE-105 and it was developed by a company called BioAge Labs. BioAge Labs is a company that does research on development for drugs that help combat aging and health complications related to the aging process. This company develops drugs and conducts the clinical research on drugs to gain FDA approval, however they do not market drugs once approved - Big Pharma companies fulfill that role.
BGE-105 has been given a generic drug name, and that name is Azelaprag. Azelaprag is an orally active analog of the naturally occurring small peptide Apelin. Apelin is a myokine, which means it is a signaling molecule produced in muscle. More specifically it is an exerkine, meaning it is a signaling molecule produced in the muscle in response to exercise. Apelin works in both an autocrine fashion (binding and activating cell membrane bound Apelin receptors on muscle cells) as well as in a paracrine fashion (binding and activating Apelin receptors in other tissues, including and not limited to cardiac, vascular, gastrointestinal, and brain tissues).
Action in Muscle
Activation of Apelin receptors in muscle cells increases proliferation of muscle satellite cells. Muscle satellite cells are key players in muscle growth (hypertrophy) and they function as donators of new myonuclei to existing muscle cells, resulting in increased gene expression related to the synthesis of muscle contractile proteins.
Apelin is normally released in skeletal muscle in response to exercise, and it contributes to the repair and regrowth of muscle tissue post exercise. Apelin, manufactured synthetically by recombinant DNA technology, has been administered to mammals and it has been shown to prevent and reverse muscle wasting due to aging and disease. This makes Apelin a promising treatment for maintenance and growth of muscle tissue, unfortunately being a peptide hormone it must be regularly administered by injection which is not a preferred route for patient compliance. Thankfully, BioAge Labs was able to develop a non peptidyl small chemical agonist for the Apelin receptor, and this compound they called Azelaprag. Azelaprag is orally active, making it an attractive drug candidate and approval is being sought for the treatment of sarcopenia, kidney disease related muscle loss, and maybe other applications as well. However, the most interesting application of Azelaprag involves its combination with a very popular drug, and it is this combination that has put Azelaprag on the map.
Tirzepatide/Azelaprag
Tirzepatide, sold under the trade name Mounjaro, belongs to a class of drugs known as Glucagon-Like Receptor-1 Agonists (GLP-1 agonists). These drugs were originally developed to help treat diabetes, as they have been shown to reduce levels of glycated hemoglobin (A1C), which is the most accurate test to determine chronic metabolic damage due to elevated blood sugar levels. GLP-1 agonists were soon shown to be extremely effective weight loss agents since they dramatically decrease appetite amongst other things. It was not long until drugs in the class were being remarketed as treatments for obesity. Semaglutide (Ozempic) was the first, and soon afterwards Eli Lilly marketed its licensed GLP-1 agonist Mounjaro for the same purpose.
GLP-1 agonists were a breakthrough in obesity treatment as no other obesity drugs ever came close to delivering the dramatic weight loss that they could. There is one problem with GLP-1 agonist promoted weight loss though, and that is the fact that roughly half of the pounds lost are in the form of muscle protein. This is not the healthiest of things, nor is it an optimally desired outcome cosmetically speaking. BioAge Labs recognized this issue, and decided to investigate the combination of its drug Azelaprag with the GLP-1 agonist Tirzepatide for weight loss. Results were very promising as not only did the subjects lose even more weight than with Tirzepatide alone, the weight loss observed was almost exclusively in the form of fat tissue. No serious side effects were seen.
Conclusion
A new orally active muscle building (or sparing) drug has been developed by a company called BioAge Labs. BioAge Labs has teamed up with Eli Lilly and a drug combination of Azelaprag with the GLP-1 agonist Tirzepatide is now being tested in humans for weight loss with the sparing of lean body mass. If this combination gets approval then it could be a huge breakthrough in medically assisted healthy weight loss.
Darkhorse192
Well-known member
It is just a blog post from his blog. It reads more like he is discussing the purported benefit of the compound from a muscle-building perspective as opposed to him saying he is going to be releasing it himself.
WesleyInman
Well-known member
I was just gonna post this. Good job 
BCseacow83
Well-known member
Drug aside thank you for bringing to my attention that PA is posting again somewhere. I joined.
As for the drug............................sure why not lol.
As for the drug............................sure why not lol.
sns8778
Board Sponsor
There's no way to really know at this time if the drug is going to have any real world benefit at building muscle in healthy males, but does seem to help reduce muscle loss in people with medical conditions.
From other reading on this, it seems like one route that is being speculated on this is that its going to be combined with the GLP to in theory help reduce the muscle loss than many see on GLP's.
It's not something I would be overly excited about or would try personally unless/until there was any actual great real world feedback on it, but always interested in reading up on new things. I'd read a lot about this one a few months back.
From other reading on this, it seems like one route that is being speculated on this is that its going to be combined with the GLP to in theory help reduce the muscle loss than many see on GLP's.
It's not something I would be overly excited about or would try personally unless/until there was any actual great real world feedback on it, but always interested in reading up on new things. I'd read a lot about this one a few months back.
kisaj
Legend
Ditto, I have no interest but loving the progression. I also read this incorrectly to think that PA was bringing it out and thought, "WTF?!" lol.
EpiStrong
Member
There is a huge market with the semaglutide, tir, ret, craze going on. Will be interesting how fast they try to push it as an add on.
sns8778
Board Sponsor
That is actually how I came across reading on this new drug was some saying it would be able to help combat the muscle loss that people are seeing with those types of drugs.
I'm not sure that it will bc I think that's taking a big leap assuming that helping with muscle loss in aging individuals will help with muscle loss in people from not consuming enough or the proper nutrients or other possible pathways that some of those may cause muscle loss. I say that because no one seems to be able to agree on if or how many other ways that they may negatively impact muscle.
EpiStrong
Member
If it has any use the population will gobble it up. The Chinese will be throwing it out there like candy for the population who doesn't care to diet and needs drugs like they're doing with ret since pre trials seem to show it more effective.
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Some of the logs I've seem on it is crazy, clinical max dosing logs are abundant. I mean it has its place but, 90% just need to eat better, less, or have no self control
Like my obese neighbor that's diabetic... he went on a water diet and then 2 days later comes back by with 2 XL sweet teas...
kisaj
Legend
My neighbor buddy who goes to happy hour and huge expensed lunches and dinners 4 days a week because "he's in sales" and never does anything physically active other than golfing once a week- "I don't get how you stay so fit in your 40's and always have the energy to keep going..." Lol, this was just yesterday.
DaveMcNaul
Member
So is an anti-catabolic agent but not an anabolic procursor, preserve muscle doesn't mean create muscle, right?
sns8778
Board Sponsor
Anti-catabolic would be preserving muscle, not building muscle. Correct.
But in the case of this particular drug, from what I've read, it showed premise for sarcopenia.
Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle and strength that can happen when someone gets older and does less physical activity.
That may or may not translate into having any real benefit in a healthy training population and it may or may not translate into having any benefit for the way that some are already touting it as a way to help not lose muscle while on semiglutide and things like that; because they aren't even 100% sure if the muscle loss on those is strictly from lack of food and protein or because of something else.
EpiStrong
Member
From his article posted above
this drug is a muscle builder and I will bet the farm that it will be “abused” as such by athletes / bodybuilders in the near future
It may be advertisement toward the compound since I haven't looked into his financial involvement but pat alludes to it being anabolic
sns8778
Board Sponsor
It's a pharma drug, not anything Pat is personally involved with.
He is saying that he thinks that like with most things, that bodybuilders will try to abuse it to see if its an effective muscle builder. But the pharma studies show it being for sarcopenia and slowing muscle wasting in aging individuals; I think that's what he meant when he was asking about it being anti-catabolic.
EpiStrong
Member
Lots of assumptions in that. He says this
Bottom line here is let’s not fool ourselves - this drug is a muscle builder
Make your own conclusions
Darkhorse192
Well-known member
What is even sillier is that when you do lose weight with one of these GLP-1 agonists, and then stop taking it, the weight comes right back if you return to your old habits. You have to learn healthy eating habits and exercise anyway, so why not just do that upfront? Or you can just stay on the **** for the rest of your life I guess.
EpiStrong
Member
This is the problem with the drugs. If you change nothing, you rely on the drug for everything.
Darkhorse192
Well-known member
There are a ton of dudes over on professional muscle on semaglutide lol, like a drug that gives a remote hint of helping someone build muscle or lose fat, people will instantly abuse it.
EpiStrong
Member
I'd argue tir is more popular since is it is shown to be more effective and available. Sema is available but ret is less available and even more effective than both, so may take the cake soon
They all lose muscle and fat though, so adding this and keeping muscle could be pushed as a body hack or whatever spin you want on it
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BCseacow83
Well-known member
If we were going to able to instill these habits and education on such habits in this population we would have already done so. ANYONE who wishes to learn about such things has access to all the information in the world at their fingertips. The chances of instilling such knowledge and habits into someone who has twinkies on the brain 24/7 is basically ZERO. I think these drugs are FANTASTIC tools that can turn down the volume of EAT EAT EAT messaging these people have 24/7. Are they the be all end all? NO, but they give us a better chance of teaching those that want to learn how to do it without the drug.
Worse case scenarion: They end up taking these things for life, aweful right? WRONG. WHO FUCKING CARES IF THEY TAKE SEMGLUTIDE FOR LIFE????
If they don't treat their obesity they will end up on the following: hypertension meds, cholesterol meds, heart disease meds, blood thinners(after their first stent if they are lucky enough to survivie the heart attack) and drum roll please.....................TYPE 2 DIABETES MEDS ANYWAYS. And all of these ARE FOR LIFE.
So one drug for life and a patient that is at a decent FUNCTIONAL weight
OR
A laundry list of drugs, horrible quality of life and a patient that needs a scooter to endure a trip to walmart. Harm reduction is sometimes the best you can hope for.
EpiStrong
Member
This is what I'm on the edge on. I have encouraged some to take these drugs in hopes they lose weight they desperately need. At the same time if they just changed their habits the situation would resolve itself
It's becoming a time of self control vs a pill. I'm not quite sure if I'm OK with the pill, at least yet.
....side note my neighbor is on ozempic, has done **** all for his problem
DaveMcNaul
Member
Same thing happened with anavar.
Is anti-catabolic a low dosage and when you take it x2, mg to mg, is really strong as a muscle builder.
I'm gonna read more about this new chemical.
sns8778
Board Sponsor
It's not really comparable to that at all. I see what you're saying, but Anavar is anabolic regardless.
It's important to understand from the perspective of a pharma company, they're trying to create things to stave off muscle wasting related to sarcopenia in both men and women, so they're often intentionally avoiding anything anabolic. Plus, the last thing they want to do is put millions into a new drug just to have it yanked bc a bunch of bodybuilders decide to abuse it.
I'm not saying it won't build muscle - I'm saying that no one knows if it will or won't in bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts. I'm sure that many people will use and abuse it to see, but no one is really going to know if or how well it works for that until people try it and see. It's not something I would get my hopes up.
When comparing things for sarcopenia to a muscle building, I think of Kaneka's Lemon Myrtle studies, which seemed to show a strong effect for staving off muscle loss related to sarcopenia but didn't really translate over into a muscle building population.
If I thought it was something to get excited about, at age 45 and having been through the injuries that I've been through, I'd be as excited as anyone, but I just don't think its anything to get hopes up over. I'm always interested in learning about pretty much everything, so I'm curious to see how it goes, but I've read up on this for several months and its just not something I'm too optimistic over for fitness purposes.