MyPhenome test predicts GLP-1 response and obesity risk in large, diverse populations

Phenomix Sciences has announced results from new research, presented at Obesity Week 2025, demonstrating the continued clinical utility of its MyPhenome test, backed by a proprietary machine-learning Genetic Risk Score (GRS), in predicting obesity and treatment outcomes across large and diverse patient populations.

The studies, led by Mayo Clinic researcher and Phenomix co-founder Dr Andres Acosta, further validate the MyPhenome test's ability to predict patient response to GLP-1 therapies such as semaglutide and provide early insight into how genetics can help providers identify individuals at higher risk for obesity and related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and sleep apnoea.

Two of the studies show the MyPhenome test maintains strong predictive power in guiding obesity treatment, regardless of the patient population:

Predicting response to semaglutide in post-bariatric surgery patients

The findings suggest the MyPhenome test can help providers identify patients most likely to benefit from GLP-1 therapy more than 10 years following bariatric surgery. Those with the Hungry Gut phenotype lost an average of 10.0% of total body weight at six months, nearly double the weight loss of Hungry Gut negative patients (5.2%, p=0.05).

Predicting response to semaglutide in racially and ethnically diverse populations

The results showed that the MyPhenome test predicted GLP-1 therapy response across diverse groups. Among 158 patients (43% African American, 34% Asian, 23% Other), Hungry Gut Positive patients lost an average of 9.6% of total body weight at 12 months, compared with 4.4% among Hungry Gut Negative patients (p=0.002).

"These results show that we have a tool, the MyPhenome test, that can accurately predict response to semaglutide regardless of patient population," said Acosta. "That's a major step forward in precision obesity medicine, confirming that therapy response can be understood and anticipated before a treatment plan even begins."

The third study, an 88,200-patient analysis and one of the largest studies of its kind, explored the MyPhenome test's potential beyond treatment prediction, evaluating its role as a population-level screening tool for obesity and related diseases. Researchers found that patients with a high GRS had a higher risk of developing metabolically unhealthy obesity. Such patients had significantly higher rates of obesity (46% vs 31%, p<0.0001), type 2 diabetes (OR 1.46, p<0.0001), and obstructive sleep apnoea (OR 1.60, p<0.0001) than those with lower scores.

"This large-scale data set reinforces what we've seen in clinical studies: our MyPhenome test consistently reveals the biological variability in obesity and the best candidates for GLP-1 treatment," said Mark Bagnall, CEO of Phenomix Sciences. "It not only strengthens our diagnostic foundation in therapy response, but also opens the door to discovering novel therapeutic targets through our AI-driven predictive models. More studies will be required, but this has tremendous potential to shape early intervention and prevention strategies."

The MyPhenome test is a simple cheek swab that helps healthcare providers develop customized treatment plans, including lifestyle and diet interventions as well as medication and/or procedure recommendations. It is the first commercial precision medicine test for obesity and is already in use by nearly 400 healthcare clinics nationwide.