BG-104 is a new preclinical obesity candidate combining GLP-1, GIP, and hGH receptor agonism with Activin Type II receptor targeting.
- In aged, diet-induced obese mice, BG-104 produced weight loss comparable to tirzepatide while showing superior preservation of lean mass.
- Most notably, ~99.5% of the total weight lost was attributed to fat mass.
Mechanism:
- GLP-1 + GIP receptor agonism
- Direct growth hormone receptor signaling
- Activin Type II receptor pathway targeting, with the goal of preserving skeletal muscle during weight loss
One of the researchers behind BG-104, Young Chul Sung, previously worked on GX-H9, a long-acting recombinant hGH fused to an IgD/IgG4 hybrid Fc domain.
BG-104’s full molecular structure has not yet been publicly disclosed, so it is not known whether it uses a similar architecture.
Still very early and entirely preclinical, but an interesting approach to improving the quality of weight loss rather than simply increasing total weight loss.
Source: Jeon et al., Diabetes, 2026. Abstract 3075-LB.