Exenatide, the first GLP-1 (2005)
Byetta (exenatide) became the first approved GLP-1 receptor agonist for type 2 diabetes. It required twice-daily injections and produced modest blood-sugar reductions with frequent nausea.
Opened the incretin class with real tolerability limits that capped adoption.
Spurred two decades of formulation and mechanism advances leading to once-weekly and dual-receptor drugs.
The class has moved from modest single-digit HbA1c reductions to 2.65-point cuts and 15.5% weight loss.
