S.2 Ep. 5 | Connecting the Dots: The Broader Applications of GLP-1s and Where We’re Headed Next

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In the final episode of Beyond the Endpoint’s three-part series on obesity, hosts Manesh Patel and Emily O'Brien explore the expanding frontiers of GLP-1 medications with Jennifer Green, an endocrinologist and professor of medicine at Duke. Green discusses how GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, have evolved from glucose management tools to potential treatments for addiction, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. She shares how the biological mechanisms behind their wide-ranging effects may influence dopamine regulation in the brain’s reward centers, leading to metabolic improvements beyond weight loss. Green addresses critical questions about long-term use, the challenge of maintaining benefits after cessation, and emerging innovations, including oral formulations and combination therapies. The discussion also tackles the complex landscape of cost, access, and patient communication in an era of both tremendous scientific promise and persistent misinformation.

Related Links

• Safety and efficacy of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on cardiovascular events in overweight or obese non-diabetic patients (American Journal of Cardiology), Published January 17, 2024
• The Efficacy of GLP-1 Agonists in Treating Substance Use Disorder: A Scoping Review (Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment), Published August 1, 2024
• Leveraging Real-World Evidence to Assess Benefits and Risks of GLP-1-Based Therapies (NIDDK Meeting Recordings), May 7-8, 2025

About Our Guest

Jennifer B. Green, MD, is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology at Duke University and a faculty member of the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI). Green’s research has focused on strategies to treat diabetes mellitus and reduce the risk of cardiovascular, kidney, and other complications. She is an Executive Committee Member for GRADE, a federally funded, long-term comparative effectiveness study of glucose-lowering medications for Type 2 diabetes. Green has held clinical and operational leadership roles in numerous large, international trials designed to determine the CV effects of newer glucose-lowering medications (including TECOS, EXSCEL, and Harmony Outcomes). She is an Executive Committee member, principal investigator of the U.S. coordinating center at DCRI, and U.S. national representative for the global EMPA-Kidney and EASi-Kidney trials. Green has also held multiple roles with the American Diabetes Association (ADA), including serving for several years on the organization’s Professional Practice Committee and as a member of the ADA-EASD consensus statement writing group. She is currently an Associate Editor of Diabetes Care.

Learn More About Jennifer Green