Time Magazine honored Professor Daniel Joshua Drucker, Professor Joel Francis Habener, and Associate Professor Svetlana Mojsov as three of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2024. The list is compiled annually by Time to recognize outstanding figures in various categories such as artists, leaders, innovators, and pioneers. These professors were recognized for their groundbreaking work in researching and developing effective weight loss drugs.
The magazine praised the professors for their coordinated efforts over many years in studying diabetes drugs and identifying a vital link between insulin and incretins, which are part of a family of intestinal hormones called glucagon. Their research has helped shed light on how GLP-1 controls blood sugar levels and weight.
At the VinFuture Awards season 3 in December 2023, Professor Drucker, Professor Habener, Associate Professor Mojsov, and Professor Jens Juul Holst were awarded a special prize for their pioneering research in new fields. This recognition came with a prize of 500,000 USD. Their work has led to the discovery of the role of GLP-1 in developing effective treatments for diabetes, obesity, and potential therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.
Professors Holst, Drucker, and Habener discovered the different forms of glucagon-like hormones, including GLP-1, and how they can be used in medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. Associate Professor Mojsov played a critical role by synthesizing GLP-1 and developing antibodies against it for research purposes.
Currently, GLP-1-based drugs are approved for treating diabetes and obesity in the US, while also reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Researchers are also exploring the potential of these drugs in treating other diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, kidney, and liver diseases. The impact of their research has led to a significant increase in the use of GLP-1 drugs worldwide.
The recognition of Associate Professor Svetlana Mojsov by Time Magazine further validates the vision and evaluation criteria of the VinFuture Award. Her pioneering role in the development of weight loss drugs was previously underrecognized in major international biomedical awards, making the acknowledgment at the 2023 VinFuture Awards even more significant.