The Story of GLP-1: Episode 1 - "A diabetes doctor’s dream"

Some people eat too much food. Others eat unhealthy food, perhaps because they cannot afford healthy alternatives. Other people continue to eat a balanced diet but still struggle with their weight. How we eat and how our bodies react to food greatly affects our health. More than a third of all deaths today are caused by diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.

But why does the body tell us that it wants more food – even though it has enough energy? And can you get the body to settle for what it needs by adjusting the body’s control systems? These questions have puzzled researchers for decades. And translating new knowledge into something to combat these diseases turned out to be extremely challenging.

In the 1990s, as the obesity pandemic spreads, even young people start to lose their ability to keep their body weight and blood glucose in balance. In turn, researchers and pharmaceutical companies set out to find new remedies.

Follow the Episode 1 "A diabetes doctor’s dream" of this year's Advent Calendar: The Story of GLP-1.

00:00:00 Introduction: Eating Habits and Health
00:00:14 Impact of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
00:00:28 Understanding Body's Hunger Signals
00:01:00 Efforts to Combat Obesity in the 1990s
00:01:40 Lotter’s Journey at Novo Nordisk
00:02:00 Challenges Faced by Novo Nordisk in the 1990s
00:02:50 Lotter's Mission and New Leadership
00:03:40 Discovering GLP-1 and Its Potential
00:04:40 Jens Reifeld’s Research Journey
00:05:20 Discovery of GLP-1's Role in Diabetes
00:06:40 Early Clinical Data and Challenges with GLP-1
00:07:30 Turning GLP-1 into a Viable Drug
00:08:10 Overcoming Obstacles and Future Directions