The joint work of Daniel Drucker, Joel Habener, Svetlana Mojsov and Jens Holst has been recognized this Wednesday with the Frontiers of Knowledge award from the BBVA Foundation in the category of Biology and Biomedicine, for laying the biological foundations of the recent pharmacological revolution. The various investigations of these scientists managed to reveal the function of the hormone GLP-1, which has a key role both in maintaining blood glucose levels and in regulating the sensation of appetite. Their research has culminated in a new generation of best-selling drugs, and has the potential for the development of new medications against cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and even for the treatment of addiction disorders, the effectiveness of which is still being investigated.
Daniel Ducker, who works at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto (Canada), said after learning about the award that “obesity has always been very stigmatized.” He added that “many patients have been blamed for their difficulty losing weight, but these drugs have shown that sometimes people just need help.” The scientist also referred to the problems of shortages of this type of medicines that many countries face, among which, due to an avalanche of prescriptions. “Science is only useful if innovation is accessible to everyone. We have to ensure that these drugs reach those who need them,” he explained. Ducker called on the pharmacological industry to anticipate the demand for this type of treatment because it is likely to increase in the coming years.
During the winners’ announcement ceremony, Svetlana Mojsov, from Rockefeller University (USA), emphasized all the medical potential of the discovery of the biological function of GLP-1, a finding that dates back to the 1980s, when she managed to synthesize it in her laboratory. He then managed to demonstrate that, in small quantities, it stimulated the production of insulin in the pancreas. Then they found that it also influences the regulation of appetite, and the latest research suggests that it has great potential to combat neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, because it has anti-inflammatory effects on the brain. In turn, as these treatments work on and inhibit the stimulus that food produces to suppress appetite, new research is exploring whether they could also inhibit dependence on alcohol and other addictive substances such as tobacco. “The potential is very great,” said Mojsov.
Thousands of people in the world emerged from the scientific revolution started by the four winners. However, during the announcement of the recognition, the researchers mentioned that drugs cannot be the only answer to epidemics such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. “We need to deploy all the tools necessary to stop this problem,” Drucker said. Among them, he mentioned an increase in taxes on products such as sugary drinks – responsible for one million diagnoses of cardiovascular diseases a year – and education to prevent sugar consumption. Something similar to what was done previously with policies against tobacco consumption.
These researchers had already been recognized on several occasions in the last year. For example, they received the Gairdner International Award in Canada and in Spain. This new award is worth 400,000 euros and the official award ceremony is scheduled for the month of June. Throughout the history of the awards, 12 of the winners in the 17 editions have subsequently received the Nobel Prize.
