E7 The Hunt for GLP1 - the hidden switch for hunger

Can we eventually cure diabetes? In the Discovery Dialogues podcast series, we uncover the hidden stories behind the science—from the discovery of insulin to the invention of continuous glucose monitors to the excitement behind the latest blockbuster medications. In this episode of the Discovery Dialogues Podcast, hosts Ani Deshpande and Pam Itkin-Ansari explore the fascinating paradox of how nature’s deadliest defenses have become some of modern medicine’s greatest allies. The discussion journeys from medieval folklore to the cutting edge of longevity research, revealing how "plant poisons" were transformed into blockbuster diabetes treatments. Episode 7:  How GLP-1 Was Discovered: From Gastric Bypass Mysteries to a Blockbuster Drug Class The episode explores the explosive rise of GLP-1 drugs (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro) and their broad impacts, then traces the scientific history behind them. Hosts Ani Deshpande and Pam Itkin-Ansari introduce pioneers Jens Juul Holst, Svetlana Mojsov, and David Nathan, starting with the 1970s surprise that gastric bypass could normalize blood sugar within days, before weight loss, suggesting gut hormones (the incretin effect) stimulate insulin. Researchers pursued glucagon-like peptides, aided by Joel Habener’s anglerfish work that enabled cloning the glucagon gene and revealed additional peptides. Early synthesized candidates failed until Mojsov predicted the correct active, shortened GLP-1 form, confirmed by Holst’s gut purification and strong pancreas experiments showing glucose-dependent insulin stimulation. Nathan then led double-blind human studies demonstrating GLP-1 safely boosted insulin and stabilized glucose, while noting the remaining challenge that native GLP-1’s effects vanish without continuous infusion, setting up the next episode.