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Exenatide

GLP-1 agonist

The first approved GLP-1 mimetic—derived from Gila monster saliva peptide exendin-4.

Updated August 13, 2026 · By The Peptide Dex — Gut Editorial

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Exenatide

GLP-1 medicines and gut peptides have distinct names—brand names, generics, and research codes.

Structure (cute edition)

Simplified amino acid chain for Exenatide

✨ real molecule sketch

This peptide is a short chain of about 4 amino acids—think of it as a tiny protein necklace on your label.

INCI: Exenatide · ~4 amino acids in our simplified view

FDA label data

Sourced from OpenFDA drug labels (public domain). Not medical advice.

Brand names: Byetta, Exenatide

Manufacturer: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP

Indications

1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE BYETTA is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Limitations of Use • BYETTA contains exenatide. Coadministration with other exenatide-containing products is not recommended. BYETTA (exenatide) is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. ( 1 , 14 ) Limitations of Use • Coadministration with other exenatide-containing products is not recommended ( 1 ).

Research & public records

Counts and links from public databases (PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, Wikidata, NIH drug nomenclature). Educational only — not medical advice.

Knowledge base: pharmaceutical drug — Wikipedia

PubMed: 2812 indexed papers (search PubMed)

Effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on body weight and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio in patients with and without type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. · The Journal of international medical research
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for weight management in mental illness: a network meta-analysis. · Translational psychiatry
Peptide delivery in the management of diabetes: Exploring bioinspired nanoarchitectures using stimuli-responsive materials and supramolecular depots. · International journal of pharmaceutics
GLP-1R and GIPR crosstalk modulates insulinotropic signaling pathways. · Cell chemical biology
Pharmacological Interventions for Weight Reduction in Patients With Schizophrenia Treated With Antipsychotics: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. · JAMA psychiatry
Identifying and predicting fast versus slow Parkinson's disease motor progressors using clinical and digital data. · BMJ neurology open
GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy in children and adolescents with obesity: A network meta-analysis of differential cardiometabolic efficacy and safety profiles. · Pharmacological research
The Preparation and Physicochemical Characterization of a Triple Synergistic Nanoplatform Designed for Targeted Subcutaneous Delivery of Sitagliptin with Potential for β-Cell Preservation. · AAPS PharmSciTech

Clinical trials: 405 studies on ClinicalTrials.gov (view search)

ChEMBL: AMYLIN

RxNorm names: 0.85 ML exenatide 2.35 MG/ML Auto-Injector [Bydureon] (RxNav)

DailyMed labels: 3 SPLs

What brands say it does

Exenatide was isolated from the Gila monster and modified for human use. It lowers blood glucose and modestly reduces weight. Largely replaced by newer GLP-1 drugs but remains a reference point for the peptide drug class.