Exenatide
Also: Byetta · Bydureon
The original GLP-1 agonist — clinically displaced by newer agents but still in use.
Evidence
established
Legal status
rx only
Half-life
~2.4 hours / 7 days (LAR)
Routes
subq
What it is
Exenatide was the first GLP-1 agonist on the market. Available as twice-daily Byetta or once-weekly Bydureon, it has largely been replaced by semaglutide for weight management.
Mechanism
Synthetic analog of exendin-4 (Gila monster saliva) — first-in-class GLP-1.
Outcomes it's matched to
- STRENGTH65%
Safety
Nausea, pancreatitis warning, antibody formation at higher rates than newer GLP-1s.
- MTC history
- Severe GI disease
Legal context
FDA-approved for T2D.