Weight loss medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy are examples of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist drugs. By mimicking a hormone produced in the body, this class of drugs has proved to be an effective way to treat diabetes and, more recently, obesity. This year, clinical trials revealed their beneficial effects on other chronic conditions that can be associated with obesity such as heart failure and kidney disease.
Despite their widespread and growing use, GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs were by no means an overnight success—decades of developments, unexpected discoveries, and some notable failures all paved the way to this year’s Breakthrough of the Year. Staff writer Jennifer Couzin-Frankel, researcher Michael Nauck, and clinician Jaime Almandoz explain the remarkable history and potential future of these drugs.