Glucagon receptor agonist
Glucagon receptor agonists are a class of drugs under development for the treatment of obesity,
Background
Glucagon is a hormone that generally opposes the action of
Therapeutic uses
Rescue glucagon has been a preferred treatment for hypoglycemic shocks in insulin-dependent diabetes since the 1960s, but its use is limited by lack of stability. In the twenty-first century drug development has focused on making more stable versions, some of which do not require injection.[5][3][6]
The glucagon receptor agonist HM15136 is in clinical trials for congenital hyperinsulinism.[2]
Unlike currently approved
Combination therapies
Combinations of glucagon with other incretin analogues such as
Glucagon is also a tissue-selective delivery mechanism for small molecule drugs.[2] The glucagon-T3 conjugate in mice delivers significant metabolic benefits with less toxicity than glucagon or T3.[2][8]
Adverse effects
Hyperglycemia is one of the major adverse effects associated with glucagon receptor activation. Although glucagon receptors are densest in the liver, they also appear in other organs including the heart. Glucagon receptor agonists can increase heart rate, although cardiac risks may be mitigated by more