Pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila Muc<sup>T</sup> for weight loss maintenance in people with overweight and obesity: a controlled randomized trial.

Mount, Sarah; Canfora, Emanuel E; Jocken, Johan W; Umanets, Alexander; Hul, Gabby; Coenjaerds, Miranda; Aldaz Laquidain, Paula; Adriaens, Michiel E et al. · Nat Med · 2026

rct · Level II

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Abstract

Preclinical research suggests that the mucosal symbiont Akkermansia muciniphila prevents diet-induced obesity. In this randomized controlled trial, adults with overweight/obesity (n = 90) underwent an 8-week low-energy diet for ≥8% weight loss, followed by a 24-week healthy ad libitum diet with daily supplementation of pasteurized A. muciniphila Muc<sup>T</sup> or placebo. The primary outcome was change in body weight during the maintenance period. Here we show that Muc<sup>T</sup> led to lower body weight regain versus placebo at the end of the weight maintenance period (Muc<sup>T</sup>: 1.2 ± 0.7 kg, placebo: 3.2 ± 0.4 kg, P = 0.012). Additionally, the Muc<sup>T</sup> group had a greater net weight loss from baseline to end of maintenance than the placebo group (3.1 ± 0.7 kg, P = 0.009). Initial Akkermansia spp. abundance was associated with cardiometabolic response to Muc<sup>T</sup>. No serious adverse events related to the treatment were observed. The relative short-term intervention and absence of groups receiving modified strains of Muc<sup>T</sup> lacking active components are limitations that should be addressed in the future. Our findings suggest pasteurized A. muciniphila Muc<sup>T</sup> as a strategy for weight loss maintenance. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05417360 .