How this 2ft venomous lizard holds the key to Ozempic's slimming powers...
and it's not the only breakthrough from a deadly creature By John Naish Published: 02:02, 11 June 2024 | Updated: 02:02, 11 June 2024 e-mail View comments Venomous bites and stings from spiders, scorpions, snakes, lizards and jellyfish — even caterpillars, snails and octopuses — hurt millions every year and kill many thousands globally. But these animals’ poisons are poised to help provide a new wave of medicines to treat everything from cancer to heart disease — even to slow down ageing. This isn’t just some distant hope.
Already a lethal animal venom is the secret behind the blockbuster weight-loss drug semaglutide, better known as Wegovy and Ozempic. What’s more, viper venom underlies drugs called ACE inhibitors, which are taken by thousands of people in the UK for high blood pressure. Ozempic and Wegovy earned their maker a startling £15billion last year, with a swarm of celebrity endorsements from TV personality Sharon Osbourne and former pop star Boy George to billionaire investor Elon Musk .
The secret of Ozempic’s success lies in the Gila monster, which grows up to 2ft long and is the only venomous lizard native to the US Ozempic and Wegovy earned their maker a startling £15billion last year, with a swarm of celebrity endorsements from stars including Sharon Osbourne and Elon Musk But the secret of these weight-shrinking drugs’ success lies in a mean-looking reptile, the Gila .