'Anti-obesity vaccine' developed

BBC

US researchers have developed a vaccine which prevents weight gain in rats, offering clues about human treatments.
The vaccine prompts the body to produce antibodies against ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates hunger and weight gain.

Vaccinated rats put on less weight while eating the same amount as those which did not have the jab.

A UK obesity expert said the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study was interesting, but it might not be safe for people.

Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in California developed three synthetic vaccines that recognise different parts of the ghrelin hormone.

When injected into rats, two of the vaccines were found to bind to the active form of ghrelin, inducing antibodies against the hormone and blocking its action. ...