In 1992, Dr John Eng discovered a molecule in Gila monster venom; decades later, his finding helped pave the way for widely used type 2 diabetes medicines

Dr John Eng, a physician and researcher at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx, played a pivotal role in the scientific history behind modern GLP-1 medicines. In 1992, his research identified exendin-4 in Gila monster venom, leading to exenatide, marketed as Byetta, the first FDA-approved GLP-1 receptor agonist for type 2 diabetes. Although Eng did not discover Ozempic or semaglutide, his work helped establish the therapeutic potential of targeting the GLP-1 receptor.