https://www.statnews.com/2024/09/09/glp-1-history-pfizer-john-baxter-jeffrey-flier-calbio-metabio/ Skip to Main Content * Manage alerts for this article * Email this article * Share this article research Vaccines Cancer * Newsletters * Log In * My Account * Subscribe Now My Account * Settings Complete your personal information for a more tailored experience * Billing * Log Out STAT A decade of reporting from the frontiers of health and medicine * Newsletters * Log In * My Account * Subscribe Now * Biotech * Pharma * Public Health * Health Tech * Policy * Science * First Opinion * STAT+ * STAT Events * STAT [ ] Search * Log In * Try STAT+ * My Account Home News * Latest * STAT10 * Business + Biotech + Pharma + Health Tech + Health Insurance + Hospitals + Medical Devices * Washington + Policy + FDA + CDC + NIH * Science + CRISPR + Gene Therapy + Research + Neuroscience * Public Health + H5N1 Bird Flu + Addiction + Covid-19 + Abortion + Health Disparities + Infectious Disease + Mental Health * Disease + Cancer + Cardiovascular Disease + Chronic Disease + Diabetes + Alzheimer's + Obesity * Features + The MAHA Diagnosis + Health Care's Colossus + Embedded Bias Newsletters Opinion Columns * Adam Feuerstein * Matthew Herper * Ed Silverman Reports E-books Podcasts Tools & Trackers * CRISPR Tracker * Breakthrough Device Tracker * Generative AI Tracker * Obesity Drug Tracker Events * Upcoming Events * Summits * STAT@JPM26 Community * STATUS List 2025 * STAT Wunderkinds 2025 * STAT Madness 2026 Video Advertise * STAT Brand Studio NEW: The STAT Mini Take a break from the news and try our new weekly crossword. Play now STAT Plus OpinionFirst Opinion How Pfizer ended up passing on my GLP-1 work back in the early '90s Even the biggest future blockbusters can be prematurely abandoned * Manage alerts for this article * Email this article * Share this article [GettyImages-1211939971-645x645] DAVID DARRAULT/AFP via Getty Images By Jeffrey Flier Sept. 9, 2024 Jeffrey Flier is the former dean of Harvard Medical School. One of the biopharma industry's marvels of the 2020s has been the enormous medical and financial success of the GLP-1 class of drugs. But the path to commercialization of these therapies was far more complex than most understand, and some of the earliest history has never been presented. Beginning in 1988, I was part of what I believe was the earliest commercial effort to develop GLP-1 as a metabolic therapy. Despite extremely promising results, Pfizer, the major funder of the work in alliance with California Biotechnology, abandoned the effort around 1991 after mistakenly concluding that the GLP-1 therapeutic approach was not worth continuing. To be clear, I'm not writing this to claim credit for discovery or development of GLP-1s or anything like that. Rather, I think the story offers valuable lessons on drug development for pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and the general public alike. Advertisement In 1987, John Baxter -- a professor of medicine at UCSF, leader in molecular endocrinology, and founder of a biotech firm named California Biotechnology -- asked me to work with him to create a start-up focused on metabolic disease, and I enthusiastically agreed. I enlisted two Harvard colleagues, Ron Kahn and Bruce Spiegelman, and together we outlined an approach that included a search for novel insulin analogues and insulin sensitizing agents, identifying the protein responsible for obesity in genetically obese mice (six years before identification of the ob gene), and exploration of gut factors regulating metabolism, such as the "incretins" that enhanced insulin secretion. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in STAT+ STAT+ This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article -- plus in-depth analysis, newsletters, premium events, and news alerts. Already have an account? Log in Individual plans Group plans Monthly $39 Totals $468 per year $39/month Get Started Totals $468 per year Starter $30 for 3 months, then $399/year $30 for 3 months Get Started Then $399/year Annual $399 Save 15% $399/year Get Started Save 15% 11+ Users Custom Savings start at 25%! Request A Quote Request A Quote Savings start at 25%! 2-10 Users $300 Annually per user $300/year Get Started $300 Annually per user View All Plans STAT+ To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe Log In drug development, Obesity, Pfizer Submit a correction requestReprints 1. Jeffrey Flier 1. 1. [envelope-open] [First-Opinion-Logo-Black-640x319] Newsletter The smartest thinkers in life sciences on what's happening -- and what's to come [ ] Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Your data will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. You may opt out of receiving STAT communications at any time. Recommended [328x185-00000000] First Opinion First Opinion December 26, 2025 PubMed has competition from Germany. That's a very good thing By Sara Rubinelli, Rebecca Ivic, Kenneth H. Rabin, Lawrence O. Gostin , and Scott C. Ratzan [328x185-00000000] First Opinion First Opinion December 24, 2025 What giving flu shots backstage taught me about public health By Ram Koppaka Advertisement [328x185-00000000] First Opinion First Opinion December 24, 2025 Proposed HHS rule on gender-affirming care radically expands use of Medicare, Medicaid as policy weapons By Carmel Shachar and Nicole Huberfeld [328x185-00000000] First Opinion First Opinion December 23, 2025 # STAT Plus: China biotech's Cambrian explosion By Brian Finrow [328x185-00000000] First Opinion First Opinion December 23, 2025 4 questions to understand the costs of 'medical freedom' By Sarah Despres Subscriber Picks 1. # STAT Plus: I'm the former head of Pfizer R&D. I'm very worried about biopharma's future By John L. LaMattina 2. # STAT Plus: China biotech's Cambrian explosion By Brian Finrow 3. # STAT Plus: 3 key issues to watch at FDA as Makary struggles to stabilize the agency By Lizzy Lawrence 4. # STAT Plus: Pharmaceutical industry evades drug price transparency, again By Bob Herman 5. # STAT Plus: Cytokinetics heart drug wins FDA approval, the biotech's first By Adam Feuerstein 6. Share options * X * Bluesky * LinkedIn * Facebook * Doximity * Copy link * Reprints STAT A decade of reporting from the frontiers of health and medicine * * * * * * * Back to top Company * About * Our Team * Contact Us * Careers * Diversity & Inclusion * Awards * Advertise With Us * STAT Brand Studio * Licensing Stories Account * STAT+ * STAT+ Discounts * Group Subscriptions * FAQ * My Account * Log In * Subscribe More * Events * Newsletters * Reports * App * Podcasts * Community * Shop STAT * Privacy * Terms * Do Not Sell My Data * Ethics Policy * AI Policy * Supporters * (c)2025 STAT