Review
This scoping review systematically examined clinical research on anti-obesity medications (AOMs) conducted in Arab countries, drawing on five databases and covering publications up to October 2024. Researchers identified 59 eligible clinical studies published between 2014 and 2024, the large majority of which (89.8%) were observational in design. Most research originated from Saudi Arabia (40.7%) and the United Arab Emirates (20.3%). Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists were the most studied drug class, appearing in 72.9% of studies, with liraglutide being the single most investigated agent (54.2%). The primary efficacy outcomes reported across studies were changes in total body weight, body mass index, and proportion of weight loss. Gastrointestinal side effects were noted in 32.2% of patients across studies. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and a modified randomized controlled trial tool. The authors highlight a notable gap: newer agents such as semaglutide and tirzepatide are underrepresented in the literature. Key limitations include the predominance of observational designs, geographic concentration, and limited data on diverse Arab subpopulations, which collectively constrain causal inference and generalizability.
Saudi medical journal · May 2025DOI ↗ Review
This review paper provides a broad overview of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), an incretin hormone secreted primarily by intestinal L-cells, pancreatic α-cells, and the central nervous system, and its therapeutic relevance in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The authors describe how GLP-1 promotes glucose homeostasis by stimulating insulin secretion, slowing gastric emptying, reducing food intake, and supporting β-cell proliferation. The paper surveys existing GLP-1-based pharmacological strategies, including GLP-1 receptor agonists (single, dual, and triple agonists) and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, noting that both preclinical and clinical evidence supports their role in improving glycemic control. The review then shifts focus to emerging, non-pharmacological-style strategies: enhancing endogenous GLP-1 production through various physiological and molecular stimuli, and promoting intestinal L-cell differentiation as a means to expand the body's own GLP-1-secreting capacity. The authors frame L-cell differentiation as a particularly promising future therapeutic avenue. As a narrative review, the paper synthesizes existing literature rather than generating new primary data, and its conclusions are limited by the scope and quality of the studies it cites.
Diabetology & metabolic syndrome · Feb 2025DOI ↗ Review
This review article provides a comprehensive overview of approved and emerging hormone-based anti-obesity medications (AOMs), situating them within the broader context of obesity as a complex, chronic, global disease. The authors summarize the current regulatory landscape, noting that the GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) liraglutide and semaglutide have received FDA and EMA approval for weight management. The review also covers pipeline agents, including oral GLP-1RAs (semaglutide, danuglipron, orforglipron), the amylin receptor agonist cagrilintide (alone and in combination with semaglutide), and dual agonists such as tirzepatide (GIP/GLP-1), survodutide, mazdutide, and pemvidutide (GLP-1R/GCGR). The authors highlight tirzepatide's placebo-subtracted weight reduction of 17.8% in a 72-week RCT and retatrutide's (a GLP-1R/GCGR/GIPR tri-agonist) placebo-subtracted reduction of 22.1% in a 48-week phase-II trial. The review cautions that long-term safety and cardiovascular outcome data for many of these agents remain incomplete. As a narrative review, it does not conduct original research or meta-analysis, and conclusions are limited by the quality and heterogeneity of the underlying primary studies it synthesizes.
Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism · Sep 2024DOI ↗ Review
This review article examines the evolving landscape of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based therapies for obesity management. The authors describe how obesity, a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, often resists traditional lifestyle interventions, motivating the development of more targeted pharmacological approaches. The review focuses on incretin mimetics — drugs that mimic nutrient-stimulated hormones — which act on G-protein-coupled receptors including GLP-1, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and glucagon receptors. Specific agents highlighted include semaglutide and tirzepatide, as well as emerging multiagonist compounds such as GLP-1/glucagon and GIP/GLP-1/glucagon receptor co-agonists. The authors argue that glucagon receptor activation in particular represents a meaningful frontier in the field. The review surveys clinical efficacy data, neuroendocrine mechanisms, and signaling pathways underlying these therapies, while also outlining remaining challenges and future research directions. As a narrative review, it synthesizes existing literature rather than presenting original trial data, and does not conduct a formal meta-analysis. Its conclusions are therefore dependent on the quality and selection of the underlying primary studies reviewed.
Endocrinology and metabolism (Seoul, Korea) · Apr 2024DOI ↗ Review
This review paper examines the landscape of FDA-approved peptide therapeutics, tracing the field's evolution from the discovery of insulin in 1921 to approximately 100 subsequently authorized peptide drugs. The author focuses on six key peptide classes: glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) analogues for diabetes management, growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analogues, cholecystokinin (CCK) analogues, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) analogues, and α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) analogues. For each class, the review describes the native peptide's biological structure and mechanism of action, the medicinal chemistry strategies used to engineer synthetic analogues (such as modifications that extend half-life and reduce dosing frequency), the developmental and regulatory journey toward FDA approval, and known adverse effects. The paper highlights how targeted chemical modifications—including structural stabilization techniques—have improved the therapeutic utility of naturally derived peptides beyond their endogenous counterparts. Limitations include those inherent to any narrative review: no systematic search methodology or meta-analytic statistics are reported, and no original clinical or experimental data are generated. The work serves primarily as an educational synthesis of existing literature.
Biomolecules · Feb 2024DOI ↗