GLP-1 Agonists – the Current State of Play and What’s Next (w/ Special Guest)

During episode #92 of The Weekly Bioanalysis, our hosts, John and Dom, dive into GLP-1 receptor agonists—originally developed for type 2 diabetes—and how their mechanisms (stimulating insulin, slowing gastric emptying, and reducing glucagon) also drive significant weight-loss effects. They discuss why native GLP-1 is too short-lived to be therapeutic and outline engineering strategies that extend half-life (e.g., fatty-acid albumin binding or Fc-fusion), walking through approved agents like exenatide, liraglutide, dulaglutide, lixisenatide, semaglutide, and tirzepatide (a dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist). Our hosts note bioanalytical implications of peptide size and structure, and common outcomes/side effects such as appetite suppression and occasional GI symptoms or nausea. We are excited to welcome John’s wife. Catherine, to the podcast for the first time. She joins to highlight her experiences and the real-world benefits of her GLP-1 treatments. The conversation closes by framing these drugs less as “weight-loss meds” and more as tools for broader metabolic health, with growing research and potential future indications.“The Weekly Bioanalysis” is a podcast dedicated to discussing bioanalytical news, tools and services related to the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and biomarker industries. Every month, KCAS Bio will bring you another 60 minutes (or so) of friendly banter between our two finest Senior Scientific Advisors as they chat over coffee and discuss what they’ve learned about the bioanalytical world the past couple of weeks. “The Weekly Bioanalysis” is brought to you by KCAS Bio.KCAS Bio is a progressive growing contract research organization of well over 250 talented and dedicated individuals with growing operations in Kansas City, Doylestown, PA, and Lyon, France, where we are committed to serving our clients and improving health worldwide. Our experienced scientists provide stand-alone bioanalytical services to the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, animal health and medical device industries.