W. Timothy Garvey, M.D., served as lead author in the clinical trial. A new combination drug therapy is showing extraordinary promise in the bout against obesity, helping patients lose an average of 20 percent of their body weight in a major clinical trial.

Recent years have seen the advent of weight loss drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy. They work by suppressing users' appetites, leading to weight loss.

Some new medications in development are also trying to solve for a persistent side effect of existing drugs: Patients who lose fat also tend to lose muscle. This can be particularly dangerous for older adults because it makes them more likely to fall and can worsen osteoporosis.