Could This Abu Dhabi-Made Gut Capsule Replace Ozempic?

Ozempic has become a global talking point, with around one in eight adults in the US alone saying they have tried it - or another GLP-1 drug originally designed for diabetes - in order to achieve weight loss. Now scientists at NYU Abu Dhabi are testing a very different idea, an ingestible capsule that lights up inside the gut.

The 3D-printed device contains a tiny LED light that is wirelessly powered once swallowed. In early experiments with rats, the glowing capsule was able to stimulate gut-brain signals connected to hunger, without delivering any drug. It then passed naturally through the body in waste.

Researchers suggest that if the approach can be made safe for people, it could open a new route for weight-loss treatment. Instead of weekly injections or costly prescriptions, future patients might take a swallowable device designed to influence appetite using light alone.