In a recent review published in the journal Diabetes Care , Daniel J. Drucker of Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, University of Toronto, evaluated the efficacy and safety of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) for type 2 diabetes and obesity and explored their potential for new indications. GLP-1 receptor, inactivated and surrounded by an agonist (semaglutide, red) and G-proteins.
Image Credit: Juan Gaertner / Shutterstock. Review Article: Efficacy and Safety of GLP-1 Medicines for Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity More than 19 years after the first GLP1RA was introduced for type 2 diabetes and 10 years after its approval for obesity, innovations are expanding the use of GLP-1 medicines for metabolic disorders. New developments include orally administered GLP1RA, unimolecular glucagon receptor (GCGR)-GLP1R coagonists like survodutide, and GCGR- Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide Receptor (GIPR)-GLP1R triagonists like retatrutide.
Additionally, new indications such as addiction, peripheral vascular disease, type 1 diabetes, metabolic liver disease, and neurodegenerative disorders are under clinical evaluation. Further research is needed to explore the full therapeutic potential and long-term safety of GLP-1RAs across a broader range of metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders. GLP1RAs like exenatide, liraglutide, semaglutide, and tirzepatide are widely used for type 2 diabetes and obesity, offering significant benefits in glucose control, weight loss, and cardiov.
