The surprising role lizard venom played in inventing Ozempic — as FDA warns about fakes being sold
Lizard venom has played a crucial part in helping humans take a bite out of diabetes and obesity.
The Gila monster is a large, magnificent and venomous desert-dwelling reptile found throughout the southwestern US and Mexico. A toxic bite from the Gila can cause searing pain, loss of consciousness and in rare cases, death.
However, a specific element in the venom of the dangerous Gila inspired the development of glucagon-like peptide agonists such as Ozempic and Wegovy.
GLP-1 receptor agonists are synthetic drugs that mimic the GLP-1 hormone, which is naturally released in the gut after eating. This hormone helps regulate appetite by creating a feeling of fullness.
In the late 1990s, Canadian endocrinologist Daniel J. Drucker, a pioneer in diabetes treatment whose work paved the way for Ozempic, was searching for a hormone similar to GLP-1. He believed that in a slow-dissolving form, such a hormone could function as an appetite suppressant and blood sugar regulator.
How Gila monsters slow their metabolism
Drucker learned that a research team led by Dr. John Eng at the Veterans Administration Center in The Bronx had sequenced the proteins in Gila monster venom and found two that resemble human GLP-1.
Eng discovered that after prolonged periods without food, the Gila monster can slow down its metabolism and maintain constant blood sugar levels without affecting its health.
Analyzing the lizard’s venom, he discovered a peptide he named exendin, which triggers the synthesis and release of insulin from beta cells in the pancreas.
Inspired by these findings, Drucker and his team acquired and dissected a Gila monster. Their work confirmed that the reptile’s genes produce the protein exendin-4.
Unlike the GLP-1 found in the human body — which remains active for only two minutes — exendin-4 remains active for hours, paving the way for the possibility that the protein could be used to treat both diabetes and obesity.
Getting GLP-1s to the masses
Following further testing, this GLP-1 agonist was deemed safe and effective and was approved by the FDA for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in 2005.
The drug has since become wildly popular as a weight-loss treatment and has been linked to a slew of health benefits.
However, the popularity of GLP-1 drugs has led to an explosion in counterfeit products.
Got Ozempic? Check the box for these numbers
In an April 14 announcement, the Federal Drug Administration stated that Novo Nordisk, manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy, notified the agency that “several hundred units of counterfeit Ozempic (semaglutide) injection 1 mg” were in the US drug supply chain.
The FDA has advised patients, wholesalers, retail pharmacies, and healthcare professionals to check any Ozempic products in their possession.
Any medications labeled with lot number PAR0362 and having a serial number starting with the first eight digits 51746517 should not be used, sold, or distributed, according to the agency.
The seized products are currently being tested by the FDA and Novo Nordisk to determine the identity, quality and safety of the drugs.
