Saliva from the venomous Gila Monster reptile is being used in a new drug to help diabetic patients control their blood sugar levels and lose weight at the same time, according to a Local 6 News report.

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Protein found in the lizard's saliva has been added to a drug called Byetta and it is injected into the patent twice a day before meals.

Researchers at the Texas Diabetes Institute in San Antonio were some of the first to try out the unique medicine.

"It's entirely new," said Dr. Eugenio Cersosimo, a researcher at the Texas Diabetes Institute. "These are drugs that stimulate the insulin release, the hormone that's critical to transform, again, sugar into energy."

Local 6 News featured a patient, Linda Rivera, who has been taking the drug.

Rivera lost 20 pounds in seven weeks, and she's finding it easier to make healthy eating choices, according to the report.

The vast majority of diabetic drugs can cause weight gain, the report said.

Experts said the drug has the potential to make the biggest splash since the introduction of the popular drug Metformin a decade ago.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.