Two UK-based enteric neuroscientists claim they have devised a natural alternative to pharmaceutical weight-loss injections like Ozempic and Mounjaro, focusing on the satiety hormone PYY. The invention, a daily capsule named Elcella, is designed to reset the body’s natural fullness signals by targeting specific cells in the lower gut, The Times reports.
Dr. Madusha Peiris, 43, and Dr. Ruby Aktar, 37, co-founders and laboratory partners for 15 years, met in 2010 at Queen Mary University of London’s Wingate Institute of Neurogastroenterology. Their research has concentrated on the crucial link between the gut and brain in controlling hunger and appetite.
While the pharmaceutical industry has centered on synthetic versions of glucagon-like peptides (GLP-1), which regulate appetite and blood sugar, the Elcella developers have focused on GLP-1’s partner hormone, PYY.
Peiris argues that PYY is actually more effective at reducing appetite. A key difference lies in longevity: GLP-1 typically stays in the body for approximately five minutes maximum, providing the initial feeling of fullness after a meal. PYY levels, conversely, can remain elevated for up to six hours, ensuring the feeling of sustained satiety. Pharmaceutical companies have synthesized GLP-1 to treat diabetes since 1984, but have thus far been unable to create an artificial version of PYY.
The scientific breakthrough centers on the L-cells, specialized cells located in the lower colon. These cells are responsible for releasing both PYY and GLP-1 when stimulated by specific nutrients passing through.
However, the rapid absorption rate of modern, soft, and palatable ultraprocessed food (UPFs) means that little nutritional value reaches the lower bowel to stimulate these L-cells effectively.
The Elcella capsules are engineered to resolve this issue. They are described as slightly heftier than cod liver oil tablets, encased in a coating designed to resist stomach acid. This allows the capsules to dissolve specifically in the alkaline environment of the lower bowel, delivering nutrients directly to the L-cells to stimulate them before a meal. Peiris suggested that many in the Western world need this “reset” because their L-cells have not been adequately stimulated for an extended period.
The formulation, named Elcella after the target L-cells, consists of a blend of cold-pressed linseed oil, coconut oil, and MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) oil. These ingredients were chosen based on the length of their carbon chains, which the scientists discovered are the “favourite snack” of the L-cells.
The research leading to this formulation involved testing hypotheses repeatedly and securing grants from bodies including Wellcome and Innovate UK. The founders note that their research derived strong data from working on human tissue, rather than the mice models used by other teams.
Dr. Aktar and Dr. Peiris emphasized that the underlying issue of weight gain often goes beyond simple self-control. Dr. Ruby Aktar told The Times, “It’s not about willpower or being greedy. People’s bodies are not working for them”.
Users are directed to take four capsules, twice daily, three hours ahead of meals. The regimen is recommended for a minimum duration of 12 weeks. At a cost of more than £500 ($658) for a three-month supply, the capsules are positioned as an investment, though Peiris calculated the cost at 98 cents per capsule, arguing it is cheaper than many other supplements. The inventors differentiate Elcella from standard vitamins, asserting that it elicits a specific molecular response rather than merely topping up nutrient levels.
The goal of the 12-week course is to overhaul the gut, leading to sustainable healthier habits. Both Peiris and Aktar have completed the course, reporting they each lost between 9 and 10 pounds.
Limited consumer trial data shows promising results. In its first, 12-week consumer trial involving 51 people, users reduced their calorie intake by 18 per cent and dropped approximately 13 pounds. Additionally, users reduced their waist circumference by around 2.5 inches. However, critics have pointed out that the sample size was small and the trial failed to record participants’ starting weights.
The method employed by Elcella has received recognition in the peer-reviewed literature. Research was published in the journal Gut, which described the method as a “decoy bypass for appetite suppression,” noting that “The treatment helped people feel full sooner, so they naturally ate less food”.
While acknowledging the innovation, experts advise caution regarding expectations compared to prescription drugs.
Consultant bariatric surgeon Andrew Jenkinson called the science “very innovative”. He told The Times that Elcella “could be a really important drug” and saw it as an option for people needing to lose a moderate amount of weight, perhaps “a stone, a stone and a half”. Jenkinson also posited that it could serve as a “microdose strategy” for individuals transitioning off high-dose GLP-1 drugs, noting the issue of weight regain when injections are stopped.
Professor Yeo told the paper that “the idea makes sense—you’re trying to hack the biology”. Nevertheless, he stressed that Elcella is “never going to be as powerful as the GLP-1 drugs” and should not be billed as a new Ozempic. Yeo emphasized the need for more extensive research, noting that since it is sold as a supplement, the burden of proof is lower than for a medicine.
The founders, driven by the decade of research, expressed a desire to reinvest potential profits back into scientific exploration. Aktar noted, “We want to put as much as we can back into research. There are going to be so many more ideas that can make a difference to people’s health…”. The two continue to stress that their focus is primarily on gut health, regardless of BMI.