The potential of glucagon-like peptide 1 to reverse high-fat, high-sugar diet-related metabolic damage.

Analogs of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) are currently one of the best-in class pharmacotherapies to treat obesity and diabetes. Recently advanced biochemical engineering has led to the generation of series of unimolecular co-agonists at receptors for GLP-1 and glucagon or the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide. In studies from mouse models of obesity and insulin resistance to non-human primates to humans, these tailored molecules have shown to effectively improve several hallmarks of the metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, glucose intolerance and imbalances in cholesterol and lipid metabolism. The aim of this editorial is to briefly summarize the potential of this new class of GLP-1 based therapies for the treatment of the metabolic syndrome.