BRP and semaglutide are easy to mix up, so here is the short answer: BRP appears to act in the hypothalamus, the brain’s appetite center, while semaglutide acts on receptors across the brain, gut and pancreas. BRP has only been tested in animals and lab-grown cells, while semaglutide is already sold as a medication under the Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus names. The Stanford release describes BRP as a research finding and names no product.
How is BRP different from semaglutide?
Stanford’s researchers say BRP appears similar to semaglutide in suppressing appetite and reducing body weight, but it works through a separate pathway. The table lays out the main differences side by side.
| Question | BRP | Semaglutide (Ozempic) |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A 12-amino-acid peptide, named after its parent protein BRINP2, picked out by a computer search | A GLP-1 receptor agonist, sold under the Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus names |
| Where it acts | Appears to act specifically in the hypothalamus, which controls appetite and metabolism | Its receptors are found in the brain, and also in the gut, pancreas and other tissues |
| What was seen | In animals: food intake cut by up to 50% over the next hour (lean mice and minipigs); about 3 grams lost over 14 days, nearly all fat (obese mice) | The researchers say nothing they had tested matched its effect on appetite and body weight; its wider effects include slower food movement through the gut and lower blood sugar |
| Side effects | In animals, no significant differences from controls in movement, water intake, anxiety-like behavior or fecal output; nausea cannot be judged from animals, and human side effects are unknown | Nausea, constipation and significant muscle loss, as described by Stanford and UC Berkeley |
| In people | Not yet tested; human trials are planned | Sold as a medication |
Where does each one act in the body?
Semaglutide works by mimicking the effect of GLP-1, a hormone that helps regulate appetite and blood sugar. Its target receptors are found in the brain, but also in the gut, pancreas and other tissues. As senior author Katrin Svensson puts it in the Stanford Medicine news story, that is why Ozempic has “widespread effects including slowing the movement of food through the digestive tract and lowering blood sugar levels.”
BRP, by contrast, appears to act specifically in the hypothalamus. The receptors that recognize it have not been identified yet, so its exact targets are still open. For more on how appetite, blood sugar and digestion connect, see our weight loss, blood sugar and digestion guide.
Why does the difference in where they act matter to you?
Because semaglutide’s receptors are in the gut and pancreas as well as the brain, Svensson says Ozempic has widespread effects, including slowing the movement of food through the digestive tract and lowering blood sugar levels. Stanford’s news story says BRP worked without some of the drug’s side effects, “such as nausea, constipation and significant loss of muscle mass.” UC Berkeley’s news story lists the same three as common side effects of semaglutide, and reports that BRP did not cause them in the animal tests.
The limit matters here. Animals cannot show nausea, so the Stanford release says nausea cannot be judged from the animal work.
What did the animal studies find?
The Stanford release on ScienceDaily reports these results. The study was published in Nature in March 2025.
- In lean mice and minipigs, an injection given before feeding cut food intake by up to 50% over the next hour.
- In obese mice given daily injections for 14 days, the average result was a loss of about 3 grams, nearly all of it fat. Untreated mice gained about 3 grams.
- Glucose and insulin tolerance improved in the treated mice.
- Movement, water intake, anxiety-like behavior and fecal output did not differ significantly from controls.
- In lab-grown nerve cells, GLP-1 raised activity threefold and BRP raised it tenfold.
These are animal and cell results. It is not yet known whether people would see comparable effects, the release says.
Is BRP stronger than semaglutide?
There is no human comparison, so there is no human answer yet. In animal work, the Stanford team describes BRP as appearing similar to semaglutide in suppressing appetite and reducing body weight. The tenfold figure comes from lab-grown nerve cells, where BRP raised activity tenfold over controls and GLP-1 raised it threefold. It is a cell result, not a measure of BRP against semaglutide. Svensson says nothing the team had tested before matched semaglutide’s ability to decrease appetite and body weight.
Is BRP a natural alternative to Ozempic?
The “natural Ozempic” phrase is a headline, not a product category, the release notes. BRP is a human-derived peptide, named after its parent protein BRINP2, and it was picked out by a computer program called Peptide Predictor that scanned about 20,000 human genes. It is not an herb or supplement.
What is still unknown about BRP?
- Whether people would see the same appetite and weight effects.
- Whether BRP causes nausea or other side effects in people.
- Which receptor recognizes BRP.
- How long it lasts. Peptides break down quickly, so a longer-lasting version may be needed.
- Safety and the right dose, which clinical trials must establish.
Stanford’s news story says a company co-founded by Svensson plans to start human trials in the near future. The release also notes that Svensson and co-author Laetitia Coassolo are named inventors on patents for BRP peptides for metabolic disorders. Those ties are worth knowing when you read about timelines and claims.
Should you choose BRP or semaglutide?
Neither is the right choice for everyone. BRP is still at the research stage, and human trials are still planned. Semaglutide is already sold as a medication, and whether it suits you depends on your health history, your other medications and your goals. Bring that question to a clinician, who can weigh it in a way an article cannot.
If semaglutide is already on your list, read our semaglutide and tirzepatide clinical trials guide to see what the research on those medicines shows.
By SterlingMedicalCenter.org Editorial Team
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine.
Read next