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Exe6.0
Exenatide Research
Too few graded studies
113 peer-reviewed studies
What the evidence says
Too few graded studies
Exenatide doesn't have enough studies with structured effect-size data yet to pool a verdict. Browse the studies below for individual findings.
Most evidence is from high-quality meta-analyses and randomised trials published 2004–2026 with a typical study size of 377 participants.
Based on 113 studies · 24 meta-analyses · 78 RCTs · 18,216 total participants
Confidence
High confidence
By outcome
Blood sugar & glycemic controlConsistent HbA1c reductions (~0.8% twice-daily, ~1.3-1.9% once-weekly) across the AMIGO and DURATION phase-3 programs · Weeks to months
Too few graded studies67 studies
Weight managementDose-dependent weight reduction (typically ~1.5-3 kg) rather than weight gain · Months
Too few graded studies30 studies
Safety & adverse effects
Too few graded studies22 studies
Cardiovascular outcomes
Too few graded studies18 studies
Active research area
56 studies in the last 5 years · Latest meta-analysis: 2026
200420152026
1Meta-Analysis2026
In plain English: This systematic review and network meta-analysis found substantial variability in weight-related outcomes across pharmacological interventions for antipsychotic-treated individuals with SSDs.
Clinically meaningful weight change of 5% or greater was observed with semaglutide and metformin.
Beneficial effects on other metabolic outcomes were also noted with several of the medications, and there were no major concerns with gastrointestinal adverse effects or leaving the study early (ie, dropouts) between interventions.
Conclusions and relevance This systematic review and network meta-analysis found substantial variability in weight-related outcomes across pharmacological interventions for antipsychotic-treated individuals with SSDs.
In plain English: A primary composite outcome event occurred in 839 of 7356 patients (11.4%) in the exenatide group and in 905 of 7396 patients (12.2%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83 to 1.00)... was noninferior to placebo with respect to safety (P<0.001 for noninferiority) but was not superior to placebo with respect to efficacy (P=0.06 for superiority).
Holman RR, Bethel MA, Mentz RJ, Thompson VP, Lokhnygina Y, Buse JB, Chan JC, Choi J, Gustavson SM, Iqbal N, Maggioni AP, Marso SP, Öhman P, Pagidipati NJ, Poulter N, Ramachandran A, Zinman B, Hernandez AF; EXSCEL Study Group. · N Engl J Med (2017)
Large cardiovascular-outcomes RCT: 14,752 patients with type 2 diabetes (73.1% with prior cardiovascular disease), once-weekly exenatide 2 mg vs placebo added to usual care, median 3.2 years
Primary MACE composite NEUTRAL: HR 0.91 (95% CI 0.83-1.00); non-inferior for safety but NOT superior for efficacy (P=0.06 for superiority)
No significant difference in CV death, MI, stroke, heart-failure hospitalization, pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, or medullary thyroid carcinoma
In plain English: CPAP is the most effective therapy for respiratory control, while GLP-1 receptor agonists primarily improve weight and glycaemic indices, supporting an integrated airway-metabolic approach to OSA management.
Chiappa GR et al. · Diabetes, obesity & metabolism (2026)
Random-effects network meta-analyses estimated mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
CPAP produced the largest reduction in AHI versus no active intervention (MD -22.17 events/h; 95% CI -38.01 to -6.33) and improved ESS (MD -2.75; 95% CI -3.71 to -1.79).
Liraglutide reduced BMI (MD -1.60 kg/m2; 95% CI -2.04 to -1.16) and HbA1c (MD -0.19%; 95% CI -0.25 to -0.13), whereas CPAP showed no meaningful metabolic effect.
In plain English: GLP-1 and dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists produced the greatest FM reduction but also decreased lean mass.
Rakhsha SS et al. · Diabetes, obesity & metabolism (2026)
For FM among Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and dual GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonists, tirzepatide showed the greatest reduction compared with placebo (MD -10.70 kg; 95% CI: -13.42 to -7.99), followed by liraglutide plus exercise.
For LBM, tirzepatide (MD -4.40 kg; 95% CI: -7.58 to -1.22) and liraglutide (MD -1.54 kg; 95% CI: -2.55 to -0.52) were associated with significant reductions.
GLP-1 and dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists produced the greatest FM reduction but also decreased lean mass.
In plain English: Variability in urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio estimates appears to reflect duration and baseline risk more than a lack of effect.
Huang R et al. · The Journal of international medical research (2026)
Primary outcomes were change in body weight (kg) and percentage change in urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio; change in estimated glomerular filtration rate was the secondary outcome.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists reduced body weight (mean difference, -5.85 kg; 95% confidence interval: -7.78 to -3.92) with a consistent direction of effect across studies despite heterogeneity.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists lowered urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio overall (mean difference, -27.94%; 95% confidence interval: -37.72 to -18.15).
In plain English: Overall, GLP-1 RAs improve weight and reduce insulin requirements in T1DM, potentially mitigating indirect CV risk factors; however their direct cardiovascular benefits remain unproven in the absence of dedicated outcome trials.
Wójcik-Sosnowska E et al. · International journal of molecular sciences (2026)
HbA1c reductions were statistically significant but modest (0.2-0.3%), with no improvement in Time in Range.
Secondary benefits included lower systolic blood pressure.
Safety data were mixed: the risk of severe hypoglycemia was not increased, whereas Time Below Range and gastrointestinal adverse events were more frequent.
In plain English: Semaglutide and liraglutide may reverse prediabetes to normoglycemia in patients with prediabetes and obesity disease.
Tsironikos GI, Tsolaki V, Zakynthinos G, Rammou V, Kyprianidou D, Antonogiannis T, Zakynthinos E, Bargiota A. · Diabetes/metabolism research and reviews (2026)
GLP-1 RAs restored normoglycemia compared to placebo (OR 4.62, 95% CI 2.85, 7.49; p-value < 0.00001).
Both semaglutide (OR 4.87, 95% CI 2.61, 9.09; p-value < 0.00001) and liraglutide (OR 5.43, 95% CI 1.34, 22.04; p-value 0.02) were effective but not exenatide.
Heterogeneity was large (Q 84.42, p-value < 0.00001; I 2 92%, 95% CI 77, 97%), attributed to the countries' performance and post-intervention follow-up in semaglutide-based RCTs and any subgroup analysis in liraglutide-based RCTs.
In plain English: The available evidence suggests that GLP-1RAs may reduce body weight and slightly reduce HbA1c in individuals with SMI who have prediabetes or are overweight/obese.
Srisurapanont M, Suttajit S, Likhitsathian S, Suradom C, Maneeton B. · International journal of psychiatry in medicine (2026)
Compared with placebo/usual care, GLP- 1RAs significantly reduced weight (MD = 6.17 kg, 95% CI=9.10 to_3.25, I 2 = 91.8%, 9 trials) and HbA1c (MD = 0.31%, 95% CI: 0.40 to 0.22, I 2 = 51.3%, 8 trials).
All-cause dropouts did not differ significantly between groups (RR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.71 to 1.35, I 2 = 28.5%, 10 trials), nor did adverse effect dropouts (RR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.35 to 2.77, I 2 = 31.6%, 5 trials).
Low certainty evidence supports the tolerability and efficacy of GLP-1RAs for weight and HbA1c reduction.