In 2005 the US FDA approved the first GLP-1 medicine for type 2 diabetes, marking the start of a remarkable journey that goes beyond the stimulation of insulin secretion.
Prof. Daniel Drucker gives us a fascinating insight into the early work on GLP-1 and discusses how these medicines are impacting the lives of people with diabetes and obesity. He covers what's known about how they work, treatment duration, side effects, and the role of bariatric surgery, plus what's in the pipeline in terms of drug development and the indications that GLP-1 medicines may be used to treat in the future.
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Further reading
- Drucker DJ. Expanding applications of therapies based on GLP1. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2025; 21: 65–66.
- German J, Cordioli M, Tozzo V et al. Association between plausible genetic factors and weight loss from GLP1-RA and bariatric surgery. Nat Med 2025; doi:10.1038/s41591-025-03645-3
- Drucker DJ. GLP-1-based therapies for diabetes, obesity and beyond. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2025; doi:10.1038/s41573-025-01183-8
- Sedenho-Prado L, Yugar LBT, Whitaker AR et al. Metabolic outcomes and safety of GLP-1 receptor agonists in children and adolescents with obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Obes 2025; doi:10.1038/s41366-025-01790-w.
- Drucker DJ. Efficacy and safety of GLP-1 medicines for type 2 diabetes and obesity. Diabetes Care 2024; 47: 1873-1888.