Who Discovered GLP-1? The People Behind Ozempic and Wegovy
No single person discovered GLP-1. The work spans more than 30 years across several labs, and the 2024 Lasker Prize went to Joel Habener, Svetlana Mojsov, and Lotte Bjerre Knudsen. Ozempic is not made from Gila monster venom — that was exenatide, approved in 2005.
Semaglutides.org provides information only, not medical advice. Talk to a licensed provider about your own care before making changes. Some telehealth links are affiliate links and are labeled where they appear.
No single person discovered GLP-1 or invented Ozempic. The science behind these drugs took more than 30 years and came from multiple laboratories on two continents [1]. The clearest official answer to “who discovered it” came in 2024, when the Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award went to Joel Habener and Svetlana Mojsov for discerning the active form of the hormone GLP-1, and to Lotte Bjerre Knudsen of Novo Nordisk for turning it into medicines [2]. In 2025, the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences went to five scientists for the same line of work: Daniel Drucker, Joel Habener, Jens Juul Holst, Lotte Bjerre Knudsen, and Svetlana Mojsov [3].
And no, Ozempic is not made from Gila monster venom. The lizard connection is real, but it belongs to a different drug. The first GLP-1 drug, exenatide (Byetta), was derived from a peptide called exendin-4 that John Eng isolated from Gila monster venom in the early 1990s [7][13]. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, is a lab-made analog of the human GLP-1 hormone, with its sequence kept close to the natural one [2][11].
Where did the incretin idea come from?
The story starts long before anyone had heard of GLP-1. In 1902, Bayliss and Starling discovered secretin, a finding that founded gastrointestinal endocrinology and endocrinology in general; Starling coined the word “hormone” in 1905 [4]. In 1932, the Belgian physiologist Jean La Barre coined the word “incretin” for a hypothesized gut substance that would stimulate the pancreas [4].
The idea then stalled. Around 1939–40, Andrew Ivy’s group in Chicago concluded that an incretin was unlikely to exist, and that skepticism froze the field for about 25 years [4]. Two tools revived it. In 1960, Berson and Yalow invented the radioimmunoassay, first applied to insulin, which finally let researchers measure hormones in blood [4]. Then in 1964, labs in London (McIntyre) and Denver (Elrick) independently showed that oral glucose triggers a larger insulin response than intravenous glucose at similar blood glucose levels — proof that the gut sends some insulin-stimulating signal [4].
The first incretin to be isolated was GIP, in the 1970s, by John Brown [1][8]. But GIP was a disappointment: giving it to people with diabetes had little effect on their insulin levels [1][8]. The search for a second incretin continued.
How was the GLP-1 gene found?
Joel Habener, an endocrinologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, wanted to find the gene that encodes glucagon. NIH rules at the time restricted work on mammalian genes, so he turned to the anglerfish, which has a glucagon-rich islet organ, and used the new recombinant DNA tools [2][12]. In 1982, he reported that the fish glucagon gene encodes a precursor protein containing glucagon plus a second, glucagon-like peptide [2][12].
In 1983, Graeme Bell found the same arrangement in the hamster precursor and named the peptide glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1. Mammals turned out to carry a second one as well, GLP-2, and the human sequence followed [2][12][13].
There was a problem. The predicted 37-amino-acid peptide, GLP-1(1-37), failed to raise insulin in early tests [12]. The hormone everyone was looking for had not appeared yet.
What did Svetlana Mojsov do?
Svetlana Mojsov is a peptide chemist who trained at Rockefeller University under Bruce Merrifield, the inventor of solid-phase peptide synthesis. For her thesis she developed a new method to synthesize glucagon, a molecule others had failed to make with that technique [2][12]. In 1983 she moved to Massachusetts General Hospital as director of its peptide synthesis facility and an instructor at Harvard Medical School [9][12].
Looking at the GLP-1 sequence, she noticed an arginine at position 6. Enzymes in the body clip after arginines, and if GLP-1 were cut there, the resulting 31-amino-acid peptide, GLP-1(7-37), would line up perfectly with its hormone relatives [2][12]. She synthesized large amounts of both forms, raised rabbit antibodies that could detect them, and worked out how to separate the short form from the long one in a mixture [2][8].
In 1986, she and Habener published that GLP-1(7-37) exists in rat intestine — exactly where an incretin should be made. Mojsov was first author and Habener senior author [8][12]. That paper is now considered a landmark in the field [8].
How was it proven that GLP-1 releases insulin?
Daniel Drucker joined the Habener laboratory in the summer of 1984 and was assigned to the proglucagon gene [1]. In islet cells, GLP-1(7-37) raised cyclic AMP, increased insulin gene expression, and stimulated insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent way — while the longer form did nothing [1].
The decisive organ experiment came in 1987. Mojsov and Habener teamed up with Gordon Weir of the Joslin Diabetes Center, who had built a model of a functioning rat pancreas. Tiny concentrations of GLP-1(7-37), comparable to levels in the bloodstream, stimulated insulin release, while GLP-1(1-37) stayed inert even at 10,000-fold higher doses [2][8]. The paper in The Journal of Clinical Investigation listed Mojsov, Weir, and Habener [8].
In December 1987, Kreymann and Bloom published the first human evidence, showing that GLP-1(7-36)amide stimulates insulin in people [1]. In 1992, Habener and Mojsov, working with David Nathan at Massachusetts General Hospital, showed that GLP-1 raises insulin and lowers blood glucose in humans — the result that convinced several drug companies, including Novo Nordisk, to pursue the hormone [2][13].
What did Jens Juul Holst contribute?
In Copenhagen, Jens Juul Holst had been studying hypoglycemia after gastric surgery, a condition with unexplained insulin release. His group identified gut-derived GLP-1 as an insulin-releasing hormone in 1987 [1][13].
The Copenhagen lab then mapped what GLP-1 actually does. Unlike GIP, GLP-1 strongly inhibits glucagon secretion. It also slows stomach emptying and curbs appetite and food intake — the effects that later made these drugs obesity treatments [1][13].
Holst and Deacon also found the reason natural GLP-1 could never be a drug as-is: an enzyme called DPP-4 cleaves it almost immediately. Its half-life is about 1.5 minutes in the bloodstream and about 1.5 hours under the skin [1][13]. In 2002, Holst’s group ran a 6-week continuous infusion in people with type 2 diabetes: HbA1c fell 1.3%, weight fell 2 kg, and there was no loss of effect over the 6 weeks — proof of concept for GLP-1 therapy in people with type 2 diabetes [1].
Is Ozempic made from Gila monster venom?
No — but the Gila monster story is genuine. John Eng, an endocrinologist at the Bronx VA Medical Center, was intrigued that the Gila monster keeps its blood sugar steady during long fasts [6][7]. In the early 1990s, he isolated a peptide called exendin-4 from the lizard’s venom. It resembled human GLP-1 but stayed active for hours instead of about 2 minutes [6][7].
Eng presented his find at a booth at the American Diabetes Association annual meeting, where he caught the attention of Amylin Pharmaceuticals [7]. The resulting drug, exenatide (Byetta), was approved by the FDA in 2005 as the first GLP-1 receptor agonist [7][13]. Eng later received the Golden Goose Award, which honors federally funded research that seemed obscure but paid off [7].
Semaglutide took a different path. It is an analog of human GLP-1, with the amino acid sequence deliberately kept close to the natural hormone to avoid immune reactions — not a copy of the lizard peptide [2][11].
Who turned GLP-1 into liraglutide?
Lotte Bjerre Knudsen took over GLP-1 drug development at Novo Nordisk. In 1996, a paper by Stephen Bloom caught her attention: GLP-1 injected into rats’ brains cut their food intake. She pushed the idea of using GLP-1 for obesity, and faced resistance along the way [2].
Her strategy was to attach a fatty acid to GLP-1 so it binds albumin in the blood, shielding it from DPP-4 and from being filtered out by the kidneys [2][13]. The result was liraglutide, built with a 16-carbon fatty acid, which extended the half-life after injection from 1.2 to 13 hours and allowed once-daily dosing [2][12].
Liraglutide reached the market as Victoza for type 2 diabetes, approved by the European Medicines Agency in 2009 and by the FDA in 2010 [2]. On December 23, 2014, the FDA approved it as Saxenda — the first GLP-1 drug approved for obesity [2][14].
How did semaglutide become a once-weekly shot?
A Novo Nordisk team led by chemists Jesper Lau and Thomas Kruse screened about 4,000 compounds to find one that would stick to albumin tightly enough to last a week but loosely enough to still reach its receptor [2].
The winner, semaglutide, replaces one alanine with alpha-aminoisobutyric acid to block DPP-4, and uses a long hydrophilic linker to attach an 18-carbon diacid [2][12]. Its half-life reached 165 hours, making a once-weekly injection possible [2].
The FDA approved Ozempic for type 2 diabetes on December 5, 2017. Rybelsus, the oral form, followed on September 20, 2019. Wegovy, which contains a higher dose of Ozempic’s active ingredient and is approved for weight loss, came on June 4, 2021, and Wegovy tablets on December 22, 2025 [9][11].
Did the GLP-1 discoverers win a Nobel Prize?
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine went to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance — not to the GLP-1 researchers [10].
The GLP-1 work has won other major honors. The 2024 Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award went to Habener and Mojsov for the discovery of GLP-1(7-37) and to Knudsen for the long-acting versions used for obesity [2][12]. The Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, announced April 5, 2025, was shared by Drucker, Habener, Holst, Knudsen, and Mojsov as one of six $3 million prizes [3].
Who got credit — and who was left out?
Credit for GLP-1 was contested for years. In 2021, the Canada Gairdner International Award went to Habener, Drucker, and Holst — the third shared honor for that trio in four years — and omitted Mojsov [8]. In September 2023, Science reported on her fight for recognition, including her successful effort to be added to key patents as a co-inventor after initially being left off [8].
The recent prizes have included her. The Lasker Foundation honored Mojsov alongside Habener and Knudsen in 2024 [2], and the Breakthrough Prize named all five in 2025 [3].
The short version: a timeline
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1902 | Bayliss and Starling discover secretin, founding endocrinology [4] |
| 1932 | Jean La Barre coins the word “incretin” [4] |
| 1964 | Oral glucose shown to trigger more insulin than IV glucose [4] |
| 1982 | Habener’s group finds a second glucagon-like peptide in anglerfish [2][12] |
| 1983 | Graeme Bell names GLP-1 from the hamster sequence [2][12][13] |
| 1986 | Mojsov and Habener report GLP-1(7-37) in rat intestine [8][12] |
| 1987 | Perfused-pancreas and human studies confirm GLP-1 releases insulin [1][2][8] |
| Early 1990s | John Eng isolates exendin-4 from Gila monster venom [6][7] |
| 2005 | Exenatide (Byetta) becomes the first FDA-approved GLP-1 drug [7][13] |
| 2010 | Victoza (liraglutide) approved by the FDA [2] |
| December 5, 2017 | Ozempic (semaglutide) approved for type 2 diabetes [11] |
| June 4, 2021 | Wegovy approved for weight loss [11] |
Sources
- Journal of Clinical Investigation. Discovery, characterization, and clinical development of the glucagon-like peptides.
- Lasker Foundation. GLP-1-based therapy for obesity. 2024 Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award.
- Breakthrough Prize. Breakthrough Prize Announces 2025 Laureates in Life Sciences, Fundamental Physics, and Mathematics.
- Frontiers in Endocrinology. The Origin and Understanding of the Incretin Concept. July 15, 2018.
- MDPI. Incretin-Based Therapies Through the Decades: Molecular Innovations and Clinical Impact.
- National Institute on Aging. Exendin-4: From lizard to laboratory…and beyond.
- EurekAlert. Dr. John Eng to receive Golden Goose Award.
- Science. Her work paved the way for blockbuster obesity drugs. Now, she’s fighting for recognition. September 8, 2023.
- The Rockefeller University. Svetlana Mojsov wins the 2024 Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award. September 19, 2024.
- NobelPrize.org. Press release: The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025. October 6, 2025.
- Drugs.com. Ozempic (semaglutide) FDA Approval History. April 23, 2026.
- PubMed Central. The discovery and development of GLP-1 based drugs that have revolutionized the treatment of obesity.
- Journal of Clinical Investigation. Joel Habener, Svetlana Mojsov, and Lotte Bjerre Knudsen awarded Lasker prize for pioneering work on GLP-1.
- Drugs.com. Saxenda (liraglutide) FDA Approval History. November 12, 2024.
- US Food and Drug Administration. Trulicity (dulaglutide) approval letter. September 18, 2014.
Frequently asked questions
Who invented Ozempic?
No single inventor. Semaglutide was developed by a Novo Nordisk team led by chemists Jesper Lau and Thomas Kruse, who screened about 4,000 compounds to create a once-weekly GLP-1 analog. It built on hormone discoveries by Habener, Mojsov, Drucker, and Holst, and on the drug development work of Knudsen, honored together with the 2025 Breakthrough Prize.
Is Ozempic made from Gila monster venom?
No. The Gila monster connection belongs to exenatide (Byetta), approved in 2005, which was derived from the exendin-4 peptide John Eng isolated from the lizard's venom in the early 1990s. Semaglutide is a lab-made analog of the human GLP-1 hormone, with its sequence kept close to the natural one.
When was semaglutide first approved?
The FDA approved Ozempic, the injectable form of semaglutide, for type 2 diabetes on December 5, 2017. Rybelsus, the oral form, followed on September 20, 2019. Wegovy, approved for weight loss, came on June 4, 2021, and Wegovy tablets on December 22, 2025.
Did the GLP-1 discoverers win a Nobel Prize?
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine went to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for work on peripheral immune tolerance, not to GLP-1 researchers. The GLP-1 work has won the 2024 Lasker~DeBakey Award and the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.
What was the first GLP-1 drug?
Exenatide, marketed as Byetta, was the first GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for clinical use, receiving FDA approval in 2005. It was based on exendin-4, a peptide isolated from Gila monster venom by endocrinologist John Eng in the early 1990s.
When was GLP-1 itself discovered?
The gene sequence emerged in 1982–1983 from work by Joel Habener's group and Graeme Bell. The active hormone form, GLP-1(7-37), was identified in rat intestine in a 1986 paper by Svetlana Mojsov and Habener, and its insulin-stimulating effect was confirmed in 1987.
This article summarizes FDA labeling, published research and company information current as of September 14, 2026. It is not medical advice and does not replace a conversation with your own healthcare provider. How we research and verify.