Journal of clinical pharmacologyJun 26, 2024

Using Medicines to Treat Weight Loss and Obesity, Focusing on Drugs That Target the GLP-1 Receptor

GLP-1 Therapies Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Apr 6, 2026

Abstract

Over the last decade, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have shown significant weight loss effects.

Bariatric surgery and pharmacologic approaches have been traditional options for obesity treatment but often face challenges with adherence and efficacy.
Existing weight loss medications have been associated with concerning adverse effects and suboptimal clinical outcomes.
FDA-approved GLP-1 receptor agonists are associated with significant weight loss in individuals with obesity or weight-related co-morbidities.
Developments in hormone-based therapies include dual or triple-receptor agonists, although their long-term safety and efficacy remain uncertain.
Cost, reimbursement issues, and public health implications are important considerations in the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists for obesity management.

Simplified

Obesity is a disease of epidemic proportions in the United States and contributes to morbidity and mortality for a large part of the population. In addition, the financial costs of this disease to society are high. Lifestyle modifications are key to prevention and treatment but adherence and long-term success have been challenging. Bariatric surgery has been available and pharmacologic approaches, first developed in the 1950s, continue to be an option; however, existing formulations have not provided optimal clinical efficacy and have had many concerning adverse effects. Over the last decade, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, a novel group of medications for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, were found to produce significant weight loss. Several formulations, at higher doses, received FDA approval for the treatment of obesity or those overweight with weight-related co-morbidities. More hormone-based therapies were and are being developed, some with dual or triple-receptor agonist activity. Their use, however, is not without questions and concerns as to long-term safety and efficacy, problems with cost and reimbursement, and how their use may intersect with public health efforts to manage the obesity epidemic. This review will focus on the GLP-1 receptor agonists currently used for weight loss and discuss their pharmacology, pertinent research findings establishing their benefits and risks, issues with prescribing these medications, and a perspective from a public health point of view.

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Using Medicines to Treat Weight Loss and Obesity, Focusing on Drugs That Target the GLP-1 Receptor

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