A new drug called DR10624 may offer real hope to people living with severe hypertriglyceridemia—a condition where fat levels in the blood are dangerously high.
In a small, early-stage clinical trial, DR10624 lowered triglyceride levels by more than 60% in most patients. These results were shared at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2025, a major heart health conference held in New Orleans.
Triglycerides are a type of fat in your blood. When levels become too high—especially over 500 mg/dL—it can lead to serious health problems like heart attacks, strokes, and inflammation of the pancreas (called pancreatitis).
It can also cause fat buildup in the liver, a condition now called MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. If it worsens, it may turn into a more serious form called MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis), which can damage the liver over time.
Right now, doctors use medicines like fibrates, omega-3 fatty acids (available by prescription), or statins to treat high triglyceride levels. But these drugs don’t work well for everyone and may not help with liver fat.
That’s why researchers were excited to test DR10624, which works in a new way. It activates three special receptors in the body—FGF21, glucagon, and GLP-1—that help the body manage fat and sugar. This is the first time a drug has tried to target all three at once.
The study included 79 adults in China who had very high triglyceride levels (between 500 and 2,000 mg/dL). The participants were randomly divided into groups: some received DR10624 in one of three doses, and others received a placebo (a fake treatment).
The treatment lasted for 12 weeks, and neither the participants nor the doctors knew who received the real drug or the placebo.
After 12 weeks, the results were impressive. People who received the lowest dose of DR10624 had a 74.5% drop in triglycerides. The mid-dose group saw a 66.2% drop, and the high-dose group had a 68.9% drop.
In comparison, the placebo group only had an 8% drop. Almost 90% of those on DR10624 reached safer triglyceride levels below 500 mg/dL, while only 25% of people taking the placebo did.
Even more, about 79% of patients taking DR10624 saw their triglycerides drop by more than half, compared to just 5% in the placebo group.
The drug also helped improve other blood fat levels, such as total cholesterol and HDL (the “good” cholesterol). Liver fat also dropped by 63.5% in people taking DR10624, compared to only 8.4% in those on the placebo.
The main side effects were stomach-related, such as nausea or upset stomach. These are common with drugs that affect GLP-1 receptors. Most symptoms were mild, but for some people they could become harder to manage if the drug is used for a long time. The researchers suggest that future studies could try slowly increasing the dose to help reduce side effects.
Dr. Jianping Li, the lead author of the study, said DR10624 could be a major breakthrough for patients with very high triglyceride levels who don’t respond well to current treatments. Many of these patients struggle to lower their levels even after making healthy lifestyle changes.
This study was small and short, lasting only 12 weeks. It was also done entirely in China, with most participants being middle-aged Han Chinese men.
So more research is needed to confirm these results in larger, more diverse groups of people around the world. Researchers also plan to study DR10624 for longer periods to make sure it stays safe and effective over time.
Another important point is that this study didn’t compare DR10624 to current medications like fibrates or omega-3s. So while the results are exciting, we don’t yet know whether DR10624 is better or safer than those treatments.
Still, the findings are very promising. DR10624 might not only lower triglycerides but also help reduce liver fat and possibly protect against heart disease, diabetes, and liver damage. In the future, it could also be combined with other drugs to give patients even better results.
This research brings hope to many people who face serious health risks because of high triglycerides and limited treatment options. If future studies confirm the benefits, DR10624 could become a powerful tool for improving both heart and liver health.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk, and herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm.
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