Stand Up for Science traces Ozempic's long path from basic research to blockbuster drugs

Stand Up for Science says the “overnight” rise of Ozempic and related weight-loss drugs took decades of basic research, from a gut hormone discovered in 1979 to a lizard-venom breakthrough and later drug redesigns. The latest “Traces Thursday” installment argues the story shows why long-term science funding matters as demand for these medicines keeps growing.

Why it matters: - Ozempic and related drugs are now taken by more than 10% of American adults. - The medicines were first developed for type 2 diabetes, which affects about 16% of U.S. adults. - Their path from lab discovery to blockbuster treatment shows how basic research can lead to medical uses no one initially planned. - The story also lands amid debate over federal science funding, where long research timelines often outlast a single grant cycle or presidential administration.

What happened: - Stand Up for Science released the eighth installment of its weekly “Traces Thursday” series on Oct. 16, 2026. - The latest case study, “Diabetes and weight loss,” examines how Ozempic and related drugs emerged over decades. - The series is running as a planned 12-part project on the Science Fight Club Substack. - Stand Up for Science says it will keep publishing the series each Thursday.

The details: - Scientists discovered GLP-1 in 1979. - GLP-1 is a hormone released by the gut after eating. - GLP-1 helps lower blood sugar, slows digestion and signals fullness to the brain. - The body breaks down GLP-1 in about two minutes. - Early attempts to turn GLP-1 into a diabetes drug were abandoned by 1990. - The breakthrough came from study of the Gila monster, a desert lizard whose venom contained a molecule that acted like GLP-1 but lasted much longer. - That molecule became the first drug of its kind and won approval in 2005. - Drug makers later redesigned the human hormone so it resisted breakdown and stayed in the blood for about a week. - Semaglutide, sold as Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus, was approved for diabetes in 2017. - Tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound, followed in 2022. - The market expanded further when the drugs were approved for weight loss. - Pill versions now exist, including one that uses an additive to help a fragile, protein-like medicine survive the stomach.

Between the lines: - The series frames this drug story as an example of curiosity-driven science producing unexpected public health wins. - Dr. Jeremy Berg, author of the Traces series and a former NIH institute director and former Science editor-in-chief, says more drugs in this family are likely ahead. - The current demand for these medicines suggests the commercial and medical impact is still growing.

What's next: - Stand Up for Science plans to continue the weekly series through its 12-part run. - Berg is available for comment. - The organization says future installments will keep highlighting the long lead time between foundational research and visible medical breakthroughs.

The bottom line: - Ozempic did not appear overnight, and the science behind it shows how decades of basic research can reshape medicine in ways that are hard to predict at the start.