Gu emphasizes that more research is necessary before this drug can be tested for human weight loss. Because many angiogenesis proteins exist for various purposes throughout the body, Sunitinib may cause off-target effects that weren't immediately evident in the mouse models, he notes. Additionally, he and his colleagues plan to test whether this drug is also effective with other types of animal models for obesity.
However, according to the researcher, the findings suggest that Sunitinib holds promise for reducing fat mass. "This could be a very good strategy for treating obesity, at least in the short-term," he says.