In 2024, Time Magazine honored Professor Daniel Joshua Drucker, Professor Joel Francis Habener, and Associate Professor Svetlana Mojsov as three of the 100 most influential people in the world. The professors were recognized for their groundbreaking work in researching and developing effective weight loss drugs. Their coordinated efforts over many years in studying diabetes drugs and identifying a vital link between insulin and incretins, which are part of a family of intestinal hormones called glucagon, have helped shed light on how GLP-1 controls blood sugar levels and weight.
At the VinFuture Awards season 3 in December 2023, these professors were awarded a special prize for their pioneering research in new fields. This recognition came with a prize of 500,000 USD. Their work has led to the discovery of the role of GLP-1 in developing effective treatments for diabetes, obesity, and potential therapies for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Professors Jens Juul Holst, Daniel Joshua Drucker, and Joel Francis Habener discovered the different forms of glucagon-like hormones, including GLP-1, and how they can be used in medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound. Associate Professor Mojsov played a critical role by synthesizing GLP-1 and developing antibodies against it for research purposes.
Currently, GLP-1-based drugs are approved for treating diabetes and obesity in the US while reducing cardiovascular disease risk. Researchers are also exploring their potential use in treating other diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease kidney and liver diseases. The impact of their research has led to a significant increase in the use of GLP-1 drugs worldwide.
The recognition of Associate Professor Svetlana Mojsov by Time Magazine further validates the vision and evaluation criteria of the VinFuture Award. Her pioneering role in developing weight loss drugs was previously underrecognized in major international biomedical awards before being acknowledged at the 2023 VinFuture Awards.
In summary, these three professors have made significant contributions to the field of medicine through their groundbreaking research on weight loss drugs that control blood sugar levels through GLP-1 hormones. Their work has had far-reaching implications both medically and financially as they continue to push boundaries with their discoveries.
