• Eva W Iepsen, Signe S Torekov, and Jens J Holst.
• University of Copenhagen, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , Blegdamsvej 3B, Copenhagen 2200 , Denmark.
• Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2014 Dec 1;15(17):2487-500.

IntroductionThe dramatic rise in the prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with increased mortality, morbidity as well as public health care expenses worldwide. The need for effective and long-lasting pharmaceutical treatment is obvious. The record of anti-obesity drugs has been poor so far and the only efficient treatment today is bariatric surgery. Research has indicated that appetite inhibiting hormones from the gut may have a therapeutic potential in obesity. The gut incretin hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), appears to be involved in both peripheral and central pathways mediating satiety. Clinical trials have shown that two GLP-1 receptor agonists exenatide and liraglutide have a weight-lowering potential in non-diabetic obese individuals. Furthermore, they may also hold a potential in preventing diabetes as compared to other weight loss agents.Areas CoveredThe purpose of this review is to cover the background for the GLP-1-based therapies and their potential in obesity and pre-diabetes. Up-to-date literature on incretin-based therapies will be summarized with a special mention of their weight-lowering properties. The literature updated to August 2014 from PubMed was identified using the combinations: GLP-1, GLP-1 receptor agonists, incretins, obesity and pre-diabetes.Expert OpinionThe incretin impairment, which seems to exist in both obesity and diabetes, may link these two pathologies and underlines the potential of GLP-1-based therapies in the prevention and treatment of these diseases.

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