HU6

HU6 is a novel, orally administered small molecule prodrug developed by Rivus Pharmaceuticals. It acts as a Controlled Metabolic Accelerator (CMA) and is designed to improve cellular metabolism by imperceptibly increasing resting energy expenditure, resulting in sustained body fat loss while preserving muscle mass. Mechanistically, HU6 is a prodrug of the mitochondrial uncoupler 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), engineered to minimize rapid absorption and high peak blood concentrations of DNP for improved safety and a wider therapeutic index[1][4]. The drug targets obesity and its comorbidities—including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)/metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), type 2 diabetes, and severe hypertriglyceridemia—by reducing liver fat, visceral fat, and overall body weight while maintaining lean mass[1][4][5][6]. Clinical trials have demonstrated significant reductions in liver fat content and body weight with preservation of skeletal muscle mass in patients with MASH/MASLD or obesity-related HFpEF[4][6].